A Long, Lost Love
by inviictuss
Summary: Kari had her heart broken when she heard of what happened to T.K, She felt alone in this world, *ChaPter 17 Is Up* Kari met another boy and they fell in love but is T.K really dead?Disclaimer:I do not own Digimon or Clamp's characters but I do own some!=)
1. Waiting For Him

Hi! I was just thinking in my room and an idea for a story popped up! I really hope you enjoy this. Please R+R!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Waiting For Him  
  
A girl, with long, hazelnut hair, walked casually past the opened rooms. Her ruby, red eyes were twinkling with excitement. She was not prepared for what was coming and neither was anyone else. A girl about her age, who has long, jet black hair walked past her.  
  
"Hello Kari…" she said with a smile.  
  
"Hi Makoto" Kari said with a warm smile.  
  
Kari was dressed in a black knee-length skirt and a white blouse. It was covered by a knee-length grey jacket, the sleeves were quarter length, and there was a little emblem on the left side, 'Saint Rachel's Academy.' Kari Yagami, attends a boarding school just outside of Odaiba. For a 16 years old girl, she is far more mature than all the other girls in her school. Her features were far more beautiful and the kindness in her, everyone could see through her face. Kari has the warmest smile, the gentlest touch and the best personality. Any one couldn't help but to like her. Many boys her age would just die to have a date with her but every time someone asks, she just laughed, a sweet gentle laugh and said so ever kindly, that she already have a boyfriend. Her voice was so soft and sweet, no one took this rejection emotionally. Kari's heart only belonged to one person, and that person is Takeru Takaishi. They had been dating since they were 14 years old.  
  
Kari was on her way to her dorm, hoping to start on her assignments. She quickly opened the door and went to her room. Her dorm contains 4 bedrooms, a lounge room and a dining room. There was another 3 girls in her dorm. 1 girl has one bedroom each. Everyone else was out at the moment, so she has the dorm all to herself. Kari plopped herself on her studying table and opened up her school diary.  
  
^Mmm, Math? Or should I do my English essay first?^ she asked herself. She was just about to start when the phone in her dorm rang.  
  
Kari ran out of the room and answered the phone.  
  
"Hello" she greeted sweetly.  
  
"Hi, Kari?"  
  
"Yes it's Kari, Onni-chan, how are you…?" she asked her brother Taichi.  
  
"Not so good…" he said with nervousness in his voice.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" she asked with concern.  
  
"I don't know if I should be the one who say this to you but….but…."  
  
"But what?" Kari asked impatiently.  
  
"Well…"  
  
"Well what?!?" she asked.  
  
"You know how T.K went on that camping trip to the snow?"  
  
"Yes…"  
  
"You see Kari, oh I can't say it, but I have to, there had been an avalanche, T.K hasn't been found yet…." His voice trailed off there.  
  
Kari didn't answer her brother. The phone dropped out of her hand, and it hung loosely beside the small table. The blood had been drained out of her face. She could hear her name being called out of the mouth piece of the phone.  
  
"Kari? Kari?" Taichi went on.  
  
The door of her dorm swung open. In walked a girl also about Kari's age, with shoulder length red hair.  
  
"Kari? Are you ok?" she asked.  
  
Kari didn't answer her either. Her energy was leaving her. The image of the girl in front of her grew fuzzy, very fuzzy and before she know it, everything turned pitch black.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Do you think she's ok?" A worried girl's voice asked.  
  
"I don't know, I think so…" Someone reassured her.  
  
"Melody, what happened?"  
  
"I don't know, I came in, she looked shocked and then bam, she fell down to the floor…"  
  
Kari could hear voices all around her though she couldn't quiet hear what they were saying. That bad news must be a dream, she thought to herself. Her eyes fluttered open lazily.  
  
"Kari…" all the girls in the room whispered.  
  
Kari sat right up ignoring the headache that she is suffering. A comforting smile came from Makoto.  
  
"How did I get in here?" Kari asked looking around her bedroom.  
  
"You passed out after you had the conversation with your brother…" The girl that was in the dorm when Kari passed out said.  
  
"Really Melody?" Kari asked.  
  
Melody nodded her head. Kari felt dizzy all over. Taichi did really call her and the bad news wasn't a dream.  
  
"Your brother said that he was coming straight away after he heard that you fainted…" Melody continued on.  
  
Kari didn't answer, she was lost in thoughts, thoughts of T.K. That cute smile, his golden blond hair, his sapphire eyes, those features she always have in her mind.  
  
"Kari? Did T.K really have the accident?" A girl with short, brown hair asked. Her emerald, green eyes was shining with concern.  
  
This made Kari numb, she didn't really want to talk about it. How could she spoke of a really sad tragedy? There was a soft knock on the girl's dormitory.  
  
"Sakura, go and answer the door…" Melody ordered.  
  
Sakura got up and made her way to the front door. The girls in Kari's room could hear her greeting the guest.  
  
"Konnichiwa Taichi-kun," She greeted with well-manners.  
  
"Hello Sakura, is Kari ok?"  
  
"Oh yes, she's just fine, please come in" Sakura invited as she moved over to the side, giving room for him to come in.  
  
Taichi quickly made his way to Kari's bedroom, which was the first one in the corridor. He walked past the opened door and looked at Kari with sorrow in his eyes. The sight of Taichi gave a soft thud, thud on Makoto's heart. She had always has a crush on Kari's bigger brother. His athletic body, messy brown hair, the gentle amber eyes, Makoto just couldn't resist.  
  
"Kari, are you ok?" Taichi asked.  
  
Kari looked down at her blanket. She could feel the hot tears burning in her eyelids. Her body started to shake with uncontrollable sadness. The tears of sorrow and pain rolled down her soft cheeks, cheeks that had been touched and kissed by T.K. Melody sat herself next to Kari and put her hand around Kari's shoulders. Makoto, watched Kari feeling helpless, there wasn't anything she can do. Sakura looked at Kari with sadness. Never in her life, she had saw Kari cry, she was always the cheerful one, cheering everyone up when they were upset. The girl that brought sunshine to everyone's life.  
  
"Kari…we had no positive evidence whether T.K is alive or dead, don't give up hope ok?" Taichi said but he doubted his words.  
  
Kari looked up painfully and forced a weak smile. "I wont Tai, I wont, just promise me, if you hear any news on T.K, be sure to call me, I don't care whether it's bad news or good news just make sure you tell me…" she said trying to be cheerful but everyone could hear the sadness in her voice.  
  
Taichi smiled at his sister, admiring the bravery that she had, admiring at her effort to be strong. "Of course Kari, I will…"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Many weeks passed by, and yet no news on T.K, him and a few other students were still not found. People has been saying that it was pointless to look for them anymore, it was useless, even if they were still alive when the avalanche occurred, they would have been buried under the snow, and they would have been frozen from the cold. They should just stop wasting their time, and mourn their deaths in peace. Kari secretly agreed, but she didn't want to give up hope. In her heart she prays, that T.K is still alive, out there, and soon will be returning to her. She would be in his arms once again, and he would be whispering promises, promising that he will never ever leave her again. He would kiss her on the forehead, comforting her, and softly whispers, whispers words of love.  
  
Kari thinks about him every night, just before she goes to sleep. And every time she thought about him, it always brought tears to her eyes. Kari's school marks were going down. She walked around the school with her head hung low. Students all felt sorry for her, pitied her. She always cheered them up and they feel like they should do the same to her, but what can they possibly say or do to cheer her up?  
  
Days go by slowly for Kari, as she waits for her beloved T.K to return. Everyday she wait by the telephone, hoping to get a phone call from Taichi, saying that T.K has been found and that he's alive and safe. Kari hardly talks anymore. She didn't  
  
confide in anyone. She pours her soul and feelings into her sad poetry. No one heard her sweet laughter anymore or see the happiness in her ruby, red eyes. All they see was sadness and hatred towards the world. Makoto had once walked into Kari's room to find a book, open on the floor with one of Kari's poetry. When she read it, she felt really sorry for Kari. Makoto had rang Taichi up and read the poem to him.  
  
'What else is left in this cold, cruel world?  
  
When Mother Nature, takes the person for me that was sent from above,  
  
Could it be because I'm not perfect? Not an intelligent girl?  
  
Or was it because Mother Nature was jealous of our love?'  
  
'The sweetness and gentleness of your voice,  
  
Has been wiped away from my ears,  
  
You are far better than other boys,  
  
You're too nice and kind, isn't that clear?'  
  
'I cry many tears, I cry many nights,  
  
Just at the thought of you,  
  
It just doesn't feel the same without you by my side,  
  
Why did this tragedy happen? I wouldn't have a clue'  
  
'It hurts me to think that I can't see your face,  
  
Or listen to your sweet melody,  
  
You are somebody I cannot replace,  
  
But can you replace me?'  
  
'Love? Is there such thing?  
  
Or is it just some word some one made up?  
  
A word which proclaims no meaning,  
  
A word that break millions of hearts'  
  
Taichi had been speechless when Makoto read out to him and Makoto had bursts into tears, Kari always used to write spell-binding poems that were full of love enchantments but now, all her poems were filled with misery and woe.  
  
Kari these days, always curled up under her blanket, crying herself to sleep. She would look up at the stars through her window, that has a perfect view of the lake, the stars and moon would shine bright, she always wondered, whether T.K is alive and looking up at the stars too, thinking about her. Love, she asked herself, is there such a thing? Or is the world just filled with pain? Kari would ask herself a million questions until she finally drifted to the world of dreams.  
  
Kari had woken into a bright, lovely day. The atmosphere in the school was filled with excitement and nervousness. Today, the boy's from 'Saint Lukas Academy' were coming, for a special dance and a tour around the school. Every girl in the school were knocking on each other's doors, asking for opinions on a dress, or opinions on make-up or how they should do their hair. Makoto, Melody and Sakura were buzzing around with excitement. Outside Kari's room she could hear them saying 'Should my hair be up or down? Straight or curly?' Do you think blue would match me or green?' Kari blocked her ears with her hands. Saint Lukas, was the school that T .K used to go to. How could she face all those people? T.K was very popular in his school and she's sure that everyone would remember her, the girl that T.K always hanged around with in dances and tours. She felt like she wanted to go home just for the night. But she have a very special job tonight, she was to sing on the stage in front of the other students. Kari closed her eyes and tried to remember the dream she just had the night before. She remembered T.K coming back to her, and they had embraced so tightly. Kari could remember that dream very well, in her dreams is where she only could see T.K, feel his magical touch against her soft skin. How lovely it felt. Kari was lost in thoughts when suddenly and arubtly the door to her room was swung open.  
  
Melody marched in, and sharply sat down beside Kari. She eyed Kari from her feet to her head. Her penetrating gaze made Kari felt like she was a piece of art work that needed some adjustments.  
  
"What?" Kari asked.  
  
"As you know" Melody started to say "Today at exactly 11:45, the boys will arrive and we will have to be ready by then, the time right now is precisely 10:00, I suggest you get ready now…I want you to have a good time today."  
  
Kari smiled at her friend, they all cared about her, even though it was hard to have fun without T.K, she would do it for her friends. It's about time she changed her mood, just for the day to make her friends happy. She nodded her head and walked out of the room to take a shower.  
  
Melody, Makoto and Sakura got together and sat down at the lounge room. In the center of the room there was a great, mantle with a fire place in the middle. On top of it was a large painting of a magnificent landscape that could cheer any one up when they are down. Kari had sometimes looked at it and felt slightly better. The girls gathered around and started chattering about the boys.  
  
"Well, I'm really looking forward to it," Sakura said.  
  
"Oo Sakura, I know who you're looking forward to meet…" Melody started to say while winking at Sakura.  
  
Sakura blushed, hot pink. "Syaoran Li" she said dreamingly.  
  
"I heard that he's a very ignorant person though," Makoto said, she caught the furious gaze that Sakura was giving her "What I mean to say is, he's a very serious person" she corrected herself.  
  
Melody nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"Well, don't talk about me…" Sakura said "Talk about yourselves…!"  
  
"You see, I don't know any of these people," Melody said "So what do you expect me to say?"  
  
"Makoto?" Sakura asked.  
  
"I'm not really looking forward to meeting the boys, but I would like to be their tour guides, its fun…!"  
  
Melody and Sakura stared at their friend disbelievingly.  
  
"Oh I get it," Melody said a mockery tone "Your precious little heart only belongs to Taichi Yagami…"  
  
"Shut up" Makoto said.  
  
The girls all started to laugh when Kari walked in. She just had a bath robe over her.  
  
"What are you girls laughing about?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing" they all said together which made them laugh all over again.  
  
Kari rolled her eyes playfully. "If you want to be perfect when the boys get here, I suggest you get ready…" Kari taunted which made the girls realize that they don't have much time left. They all ran to their rooms at an uncontrollable speed except for Makoto who just ran slower.  
  
45 minutes later, Kari walked out of the room looking like a flower that has just bloomed out of the dirt. She looked fresh, enchanting, breathtaking and magical. Even though deep down her heart, she was filled with sorrow. Kari's long, hazelnut hair was put up into a French bun. Her fringes were let out. She wore an ocean blue dress that reached her knee and it was sleeveless. Her friends walked out of their rooms and gape open mouthed at her friend. They haven't seen Kari this magnificent since the accident occurred.  
  
Kari laughed at her friends reaction, a laugh that was only a cover up for her friends.  
  
"Don't you think we should go?" Kari asked. The other 3 nodded and they made their way to the main hall.  
  
The hall was packed with nervous girls and excited girls. The hall buzzed around with conversations on experiences and boys. All eyes turned Kari's way as they entered. Most people smiled at her, happy that she finally recovered. Some looked at her surprisingly. Kari fidgeted uncomfortably.  
  
Kari was so glad when the bus actually arrived. It got people's attention off her. The girls lined up in an ordinary fashion waiting for the boy's to greet them. Kari saw some familiar faces as the boys came out of the bus. Then out of the bus, came a boy with amazing golden, blond hair and gentle blue eyes. For one second she thought she was looking at T.K. He looked her way and caught her staring at him, he smiled at her. Kari then realized that, that wasn't T.K, she didn't have the tingly feeling that she always get when T.K smiled at her. She quickly looked down.  
  
All of the boys went to any girl they wished and asked them, kindly to show them around the school, the grounds, to see how much it changed from the last time they've been here. Sakura almost squealed in delight when Syaoran Li asked her. Melody smirked while Makoto laughed. A boy with spiky, brown hair and amber eyes walked up to Makoto and asked her to show him around. Kari realized that this boy was Daisuke Motomiya, an obnoxious boy that had always has a crush on her since way back. He had been rivals with T.K, in order to win Kari's heart. It really broke his heart to see T.K having Kari. Kari was sure that her day would be filled with sadness if she was to supposedly spend her day with him. Makoto on the other hand, was pleased when Daisuke asked her. He reminded her so much of Taichi. She walked away with Daisuke with a fabulous smile across her face.  
  
Kari wasn't expecting for anyone to choose her. After all, they wouldn't want to mess around with T.K's girlfriend or we should say ex if he's dead. To her surprise, the boy that resembled T.K walked up to her. Kari's heart gave a summersault.  
  
"Would I have the honor, to be shown around with a magnificent girl like you?" he said sweetly as he extended his arm to her.  
  
Kari took it and nodded her head. They slowly walked away out of the main hall, while Kari explained, coolly, the history of the school and the places that are most important.  
  
"That's the library over there and that's the main building…" Kari rambled on.  
  
The boy never took his eyes off Kari. He looked at her with awe.  
  
"There's the lake, the most beautiful place in the school…so what do you want to do know?" Kari asked, feeling exhausted from all the explanations.  
  
"I want to sit down under a big, shaded tree, with you next to me so I can get to know you…" he replied.  
  
Kari felt a tingly feeling down her spine as she nodded. She couldn't help but to fall in love with his sweetness. They both slowly walked to the biggest, shaded tree that is within their view. When they were finally sitting comfortably the boy started a conversation.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked.  
  
"Watashi no namae wo Kari Yagami desu (My name is Kari Yagami) you?"  
  
"My name is Willis," he said while smiling at Kari. Kari smiled back at him.  
  
For a few moments, no one said a word. The wind could be heard, brushing the leaves of the trees, the grass flew around gracefully. Kari couldn't help but to notice that this boy was not like any other boy she met before apart from T.K. They both are very alike. Same shapes of blue eyes, same golden blond hair, same way as the way T.K posed, the only difference were their smiles. T.K's one always gave Kari the wonderful sensation making everything within her view to change only to T.K. Willis's smile just gave her comfort, which any other smile can do.  
  
Willis looked at the girl before her. He wondered whether she already has a boyfriend. It's impossible for her to be single. She was sweet, innocent, gorgeous and enchanting. Could it be possible that she's still single? Would she accept if he asked her to go on a date?  
  
"KARI?!" a voice suddenly called out.  
  
Kari and Willis both turned to the direction where the yell had came from. Melody came running to her. Kari stood up and watched her friend come to her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Phone call, from your brother, it's important, he said…" she said panting for breath.  
  
Kari felt butterflies in her stomach. Could it be the news she had been waiting for?  
  
"Melody, I would like you to accompany my guest" she said. "Willis I'm sorry but I really have to take this call…"  
  
Willis nodded his head understandingly.  
  
Kari ran as fast as she could to her dorm almost knocking people down on her way. She trashed the door open and ran to the phone. The cream phone was waiting for her patiently. Kari gripped the phone in her hands. Would she hear good news or bad news? She placed the phone on her ears.  
  
"Onni-chan" she whispered.  
  
"Kari, it looks like that …"  
  
~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
So what do you think of that? Please review…I need reviews to be able to write the next chapter!  
  
~ChErRyBloSsoM~ 


	2. A Simple Surprise

Hi!! I finally gotten this one done…now I have to work on Fighting For The One You Love, then It Pains To Love Someone and after that I'm going to write another one…I Just got another idea…Hehehehe  
  
Please also read my other stories!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A Simple Surprise  
  
Kari gripped the phone tighter brazing her self for what was coming.  
  
"It looks like what Tai?" she asked just above a whisper.  
  
"It looks like that T.K is not alive anymore, we found his friends and they were buried under the snow, they were frozen Kari, even though we didn't find T.K 's body it looks like he couldn't of survived the avalanche…" Taichi said sadly.  
  
Kari's body all felt numb, all her muscles seemed to stop working. Her body was frozen with terror. Tears streamed down her face. T.K, the boy that she truly loved was gone. She would never see his sweet, gentle smile, his loving eyes and she will never have anyone else to depend on when she's down. Kari let go of the phone.  
  
The door to her dorm, opened slowly. Melody and Willis walked in. Apparently Melody was giving Willis a tour around their dorm. Melody's happy expression turned into a worried one. She quickly carried her feet towards Kari.  
  
Melody wrapped her arms around Kari's shoulders.  
  
"What's wrong Kari?" She asked.  
  
Kari bursts into tears. She covered her face with her cold hands. Her shoulders shook up and down while Melody patted her back.  
  
"It's T.K, it looks like…*sobs* that's he's…he's *sobs*, gone…." She said through her tears. She couldn't bear to say the word 'dead'.  
  
"Oh no Kari…." Melody said who feel her friend's pain and sadness.  
  
Willis watched the two with a sorrowful feeling. It looks like Kari is suffering a loss. Of course she doesn't have room for anyone new right now. Willis came up to Kari and patted her on the back, trying to comfort her. Kari couldn't stand all this attention to her. She ran away from the both of them and locked herself in her room.  
  
She curled herself under the blanket with the tears wetting her pillow. She couldn't believe that the person that she truly loved is now gone. He was her first and she thought the last. She was willing to spend all of her life with him. But now all those dreams have perished, just because of a stupid camping trip. There was a soft knock on her door and Sakura walked in.  
  
"I'm sorry about T.K, Kari, I know how much you love him," she said softly.  
  
"Thanks Sakura…" Kari said as she wiped her tears away with the hem of her sleeve.  
  
"Don't forget Kari that all your friends and relatives are here for you to comfort you and we will do what ever we can to help you through this rough time" Sakura said.  
  
Kari nodded. She is grateful that she has friends that really cared for her but right now she doesn't feel like to be comforted. Right now she wants to be alone, thinking about T.K, and remember the times that she had shared with T.K. The beautiful times, that sorrowful times, and the times when they just didn't care about anyone else but each other.  
  
Sakura quietly closed the door and turned to Syaoran, Melody and Willis. Her expression was of pity for Kari that mirrored Melody's. Willis and Syaoran looked from one to the other feeling very useless. What can they do to help?  
  
"Is err- Kari going to be ok?" Willis asked.  
  
Melody and Sakura looked at each other. To be honest, none of them know the answer. They had thought that Kari was recovering, but now, after the phone call she went back to her old state. The two girls looked so gloomy that the boys couldn't help but to feel sorry for them, even though they've only met today. Sakura, realizing the sad atmosphere and the silence quickly told all of them to stop thinking about it.  
  
"Look, don't worry about it, I'm sure Kari will be fine, I hope anyway, she's a very strong girl, she passed through the times when she heard about the avalanche, I'm sure she'll recover…even though it's the death of her most loved one…." Sakura said.  
  
The others nodded.  
  
"Why don't we just go outside and enjoy the weather?" Melody suggested.  
  
"But what about Kari?" Willis asked.  
  
"I don't know what we can do…" Melody said "She's devastated."  
  
"We'll we see her again?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"Oh yeah…" Sakura replied "She'll come out for the dance…'coz she's supposed to sing…"  
  
"She's singing?" Willis asked.  
  
"Yes, she's got the most amazing voice…" Melody said.  
  
"Ok then, let's go" Syaoran said.  
  
The four of them walked out of the dorm to the fresh air of the breeze, their hearts were filled with worries for Kari. Even though all of them tried to think about something else their minds will always wander back to Kari. Especially Willis's. He couldn't get the enchanting face of Kari out of his mind. The look of terror in Kari's face he really couldn't forget. The eyes that were so magical turned to the look of terror and fear when he saw her.  
  
~*Later that Evening*~  
  
Kari's dorm was buzzing with excitement. The place was filled with noises of the girls and the running steps that they were taking. Makoto, Melody and Sakura were asking each other, how they should do their hair, what dress they should wear and what perfume would be nice.  
  
Kari still hasn't stopped crying. Her eyes were red and so was her nose. Her hair was tangled in messy ways and her pillow was really wet from her tears. She cuddled her white, teddy bear that was given from T.K. The scent of T.K's perfume still could be smelt through the Teddy Bear's clothing. Everything in her room reminds her of T.K. Her clothes, her pictures, her perfumes, her soft toys, her jewelries, everything just reminds her of him.  
  
She cried softly and her crystal-clear tears drops fell on to the bear making it as though the bear was also crying. Why does she have to bare this tragedy? What has she done to deserve this? More crystal-clear tears rolled down.  
  
"Kari?" Makoto called out from outside the room "Can I come in?"  
  
"Ye..ah.." she choked out the words.  
  
Makoto slipped into the room with eyes full of concern. Makoto had always been Kari's best friend. She sat herself down on the lavender chair next to Kari's bed.  
  
"Are you ok?" She asked while she squeezed Kari's hand.  
  
Kari didn't reply. Is she ok? Or is she full of sorrow and pain? She cannot lie to her best friend.  
  
"I don't know Makoto, I just don't know…"  
  
"Kari, I know this is hard, we all know that you loved T.K very much. We saw how you two always looked at each other, the way you talk to each other and every time he comes here you only spend your time with him… you two were the perfect couple, sometimes I couldn't help but to envy you…" Makoto said that made Kari surprised.  
  
"I envy the way you had the perfect relationship, but at the times I envy you, I feel happy for you, so happy that you are happy. I know all this tragedy just seemed to rush in on you, but it will past, soon you going to find someone who appreciates you just as the way T.K did, I'm sure T.K wouldn't have wanted you sulking around all day, I'm really sure that he would want to see you happy…"  
  
"Thank you, Makoto" Kari said.  
  
"That's ok, I mean what are best friends for? And Kari, you should be getting ready, the dance will be starting soon…"  
  
"Yeah, ok…"  
  
Makoto walked to the lounge room while Kari made her way towards the bathroom. Makoto sat down on the lounge room and looked at the painting that hung on top of the mantel. She felt slightly better.  
  
"Makoto! You should change to your dress now… " Sakura called out.  
  
Makoto nodded and walked in to her room.  
  
30 minutes later the girls were all ready to go. Kari's hair was let out and two pink clips were stuck on either side of her hair. She wore a pink, velvet dress that tightened around the waist. Makoto tied up her hair into a bun and let two curly fringes down. She wore a red knee-length evening gown that was strapless. Sakura had her hair down and she wore an emerald- green dress that reached her ankles. It really brings the colour out of her eyes. The 4 of them made their way to the hall.  
  
The hall was decorated beautifully. There were silver streamers on the sides of the hall. Banquets of flowers were on each table. The stage had musicians and singers. Most of the boy's eyes turned their way as they made their entrance. The four girls were the most beautiful girls in the hall.  
  
"Kari Yagami, would you please make your way up the stage…" One of the teachers said.  
  
Kari nodded and grandly walked onto the stage. All eyes gazed at her, Willis never took his eyes off her. She stood up on the stage and every one had to admit that she was so beautiful.  
  
"She will be singing the first song tonight, it's going to be a slow song, so please partner up with a girl…"  
  
Makoto went with Davis, Sakura went with Syaoran and Melody went with Willis.  
  
The piano started to play and Kari nervously stood in front of the microphone. Then she started to sing.  
  
(AN. This song I got from the movie Get Over It…It's called 'Dream Of Me')  
  
Kari thought about T.K as she sang. The words she dedicate for T.K in her heart.  
  
'Let me sleep, for when I sleep I dream that you are here,  
  
You're mine, and all my fears are left behind,  
  
I float, on air, the night and gale sings gentle lullabies,  
  
So let me close my eyes….'  
  
*Kari closed eyes and opened them sweetly.*  
  
'And sleep, the chance to dream,  
  
So I can see the face I long to touch, to kiss,  
  
But only dreams can bring me this,  
  
So let the moon…shine softly on the boy I long to see,  
  
And maybe when he dreams, he'll dream of me…'  
  
*Kari placed her arms on her heart, than she closed her eyes, and opened her eyes again*  
  
'A hear beneath the clouds, and whisper to the evening star,  
  
They tell me love is just a dream away, dream away, dream away, dream away,  
  
I'll dream away'  
  
'So let the moon, shine softly on the boy I long to see,  
  
And maybe when he dreams, he'll dream of me…'  
  
'Ouw..wouw.……dream of me.'  
  
People clapped and cheered as Kari bowed. All through this song she had been thinking about T.K. Tears streamed down her pink, cheeks. Maybe, just maybe, she thought, T.K is looking down from heaven on her. The thought of that cheered her up a tiny bit. Even though she was crying, a beautiful smile was spread on her lips.  
  
Her 3 close friends ran up to her with the other 3 boys trailing behind them.  
  
"Kari that was amazing!" Sakura complimented with a broad smile on her face.  
  
"Really? Arigato…" Kari replied.  
  
Willis was awed at her politeness and purity. She has the perfect posture and the perfect personality. This T.K guy must have been pretty lucky to have her, not just pretty lucky but very lucky. He gazed at her for a long time without taking his eyes off. Kari looked at him and they looked into each other's amazing eyes. Both lost in the waves of love.  
  
^How can I already fall in love with another person?^ Kari asked ^T.K….what about T.K…? I still love him, right?^  
  
It's true that Kari still love T.K. But he's gone, out of her life forever. She, now, only have pictures, treasured possessions to remind her of him and the times that they had spent together. Sakura, Syaoran, Melody, Makoto and Davis looked from Kari to Willis, all lost in thoughts. Makoto ushered all of them away from the two. They obeyed her and slowly walked away but Davis turned around to look at Kari. ^Gawd she's beautiful^ he thought to himself as he walked away with Makoto.  
  
Kari and Willis continued to gaze at each other, both not realizing what they were doing. It was until a person accidentally bumped Willis that they lost their eye contact. They both looked away with their cheeks burning hot with embarrassment. Willis then faced Kari again with a sheepish smile on his face.  
  
That really reminded Kari of T.K.  
  
"Do you want to go outside for a walk?" Willis asked.  
  
"Sure" Kari said politely.  
  
Willis face brightened. His eyes shone with excitement. He handed her his arm and she took it. They both walked out of the hall and into the wonderful, refreshing night. The night breeze blew Kari's hair from side to side that gave her a very angelic look. Willis just couldn't describe with words what the girl beside him look like. The stars twinkled in the moonlight and the moon was reflected on the beautiful, calm lake.  
  
"What have you got in your mind, Kari?" Willis softly asked.  
  
"T.K…" she replied.  
  
"O?" Willis asked feeling very disappointed.  
  
"Yes, I am, I miss his magnificent features, his charming laugh, his impish smile, his gentle touch and…" Kari said as she gazed up at the stars "I know he has been accepted in heaven, he is now an angel, guiding my every step and I know even though some one might replace him some day, he will always be in my heart….and I will always dwell in his…"  
  
Willis was touched by her words, the words that could only come out of the heart, a pure heart.  
  
"Kari…" he said as Kari turned to face him.  
  
"Mmm?" she asked.  
  
"I know this might sound crazy, but I love you, I know we just met but I feel like I've known you for a life time. The moment I saw your face as I stepped out of the bus I just felt like you are the girl I've been searching for…" He said.  
  
Kari felt nervous. Her heart gave a pitter-patter. She looked deep into his face and just for a second she thought she saw T.K through his face. She couldn't deny the resemblance. Their eyes, the lips, the colour of their hair. Maybe she should accept him. After all this was what T.K would surely want her to do, her to move on and get on with her life.  
  
Willis had come forward and closed the gap between them. He held on to her waist and he raised his right hand to her chin. He tilted her face upwards and slowly lowered his head down to hers. Their lips met and send a tingly sensation through their bodies. This kiss was so passionate and so loving that Kari felt that it was T.K who was kissing her, not Willis. Kari's dress blew to the back and made her look like an enchanting princess kissing a noble, prince that has come to her to win her love.  
  
A few minutes later they broke off the lingering kiss. They looked at each other's eyes and saw how much love they had in each other's eyes, although they had only met.  
  
"So you love me in return?" he asked.  
  
Kari nodded slowly and that made Willis scooped her in his arms and carried her back to the hall to start a new life which will be fulfilled with true promises with no lies or deceit.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
*2 Years Later*  
  
The girl that used to be devastated walking around a boarding school because of the lost of her loved one now walked with happiness in her eyes. Kari is in her final year at Saint Rachel's Academy and after she said she loved Willis, everything in her life started to change. True, deep in her heart, there was still T.K but now she's engaged to Willis. She never thought that she would be married to anyone but T.K but destiny and fate had a say in that.  
  
She plans to go to university with Willis and their marriage wouldn't take place until they finish university. Kari was just going to her next class when she was asked to go to the Principal's Office. What ever it was Kari was sure she wasn't in trouble. She casually walked to the principal's office. The pit pat of her shoes echoed through the corridors and up the stairs.  
  
She knocked on the wooden door.  
  
"Come in" The voice boomed out.  
  
Kari's soft hands twirled the door knob and let her self in.  
  
"You want to meet me, Madam?" Kari asked.  
  
"Oh yes, just a quick talk…or command I should say…" she said. The principal of Saint Rachel's Academy look very young. She has short black hair with a mixture of burgundy. Her body was slim and she wore a long, cream skirt and a black, wooly sweater.  
  
Kari looked confused.  
  
"And that command is Madam?" she asked.  
  
" I would like you to miss this period of the lesson, your teacher has been informed, I want you to go down to your dorm and go to your room, and you will know when you get there…" she said with a look of excitement in her eyes.  
  
"O…Ok…" Kari said feeling very confused and yet nervous. Something in her heart tells her that this was going to be extraordinary.  
  
Her shaken legs took her down the steps and outside to the wonderful weather. The school looks more like a paradise either than a school. Kari's shoulder length brown hair got caught in the breeze and it blew from side to side as she walked. Kari's shaky hands opened the door to her door then to her room.  
  
Kari looked inside and saw a boy her age whose back was towards her. He has golden blond hair and a hat around his head. He wore black micro fibre pants and a cream top. He turned around to face her and Kari gasped back in surprise.  
  
There was no mistake it, his eyes, his smile. That, that boy is Takeru Takaishi.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So what do you think of this chapter…I'm sure all of you expected it…  
  
Want to find out what happen? Want to see whether Kari and T.K is going to get back together or will they just live their own separate lives? Will Kari still get married with Willis? Read To Find Out!  
  
~CherrYBloSsOm~ 


	3. Victim Of Love

Hi! I'm sorry it has taken me this long but you know I've been busy with school stuff (3 assignments and they all due at the same day!) and then there's netball practice…*sigh* I don't even have time to write chapters for my other stories! Gosh help me! Heheheh …. Anyway…hope you enjoy this one and don't forget to review! Also I was thinking of changing my pen name to M|sS_Wr|teR…how do you think that sound? Give me your ideas please! R+R!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 3  
  
A Victim Of Love  
  
Kari's body was tense, was this really T.K? she asked her confused self. T.K looked at her and smiled sheepishly. He extended his arms out.  
  
"What? No hug? No kiss?" he asked jokingly. Tears streamed down Kari's soft face as she ran as quickly as she can up to T.K.  
  
He held her close in front of him. Her head rested on his muscular chest. T.K smelt the familiar scent of wild flower in hear hair. It made him feel lively. He brushed his hands down her hair, comforting her. Tears of joy and happiness rolled down his cheeks. He tightened his grip on her, not wanting to let her go. She was he's again. For 2 long, lonely years he got to set his eyes on his beloved princess. The girl that could make every one's life better, the girl that brought cheerfulness when you're down. He thought he had lost her, along with everything else that he has, but God had mercy on him and let him live.  
  
"Kari, I missed you so much and I thought I will never see you again, many problems were in my path when I made my journey to see you, but I passed through them so I can set my eyes at the girl that I truly love…" T.K said sincerely as he kissed her hair. "Even though other girls wanted to love me I rejected them just for you…I will always stay faithful to you, Kari…"  
  
A sudden thought struck Kari, this can't be really happening, can it? This all must be a dream, a dream that she hoped would come true a long time ago. She pulled back from T.K with a very weird expression on her face. Then she buried her beautiful face in her hands and started to cry. Her shoulders heaved. T.K was stunned.  
  
"What's wrong, Kari?" T.K asked as he inched forward.  
  
Kari looked up from her hands, her enchanting eyes turned to confusion and sadness. Tears continued to roll down her soft cheeks that T.K longed to touch and kiss.  
  
"But…*sobs*, you're dead, T.K…how could you *sobs* still be alive?" she asked, breaking her sobs.  
  
"Does that matter to you? We're together again, Kari, we can live a life together, like we've always wanted to! I love you Kari and as far as I know, you love me too, we can be together again Kari, I came back just for that, us together again just like the old times…don't you want to be together again, Kari?" he asked, dreading for the worst.  
  
"It's not that T.K, *sobs* I always longed to see you,*sobs* and the only times I can do that is in my dreams, I thought you were dead T.K, we thought you were dead, *sobs* I never expected to be in your arms again, T.K *sobs* I really didn't, and *sobs* oh, I don't know, T.K *sobs* I'm lost for words, I thought you were dead, *sobs* I really thought that you've passed away *sobs* I thought you were dead…*" Kari said sadly, always mentioning that she thought T.K was dead.  
  
T.K looked really confused. What is Kari talking about? She had longed to see and there he is, standing in front of her, she thought that he was dead, and now he's alive, standing in front of her, what other prove that she want?  
  
"What do you mean? What are you trying to say?" T.K asked, his voice quivering a tiny bit.  
  
"*sobs* I thought…you were dead…" Kari said her voice shaking, she said it like she was in a trance "I simply *sobs* thought you were dead…"  
  
"Yes Kari, and now I'm alive, I never died, I was just in a serious condition, I'm back now Kari, I will always be here for you…" he said promisingly. He walked closer to Kari, closing the gap between them. To his surprise she backed away. She looked scared. Scared to be touched by him. Acting as if T.K carried some kind of disease that was contagious.  
  
"T.K, I thought you were dead *sobs*" Kari rambled on.  
  
"What are you saying Kari? I know you thought I was dead, every one thought that I'm dead, but can't you see? I'm right here, in front you standing with flesh and blood, I'm as real as I could be…!" he said.  
  
She rubbed her eyes with her right hand, softly, wiping the tears of sorrow from her face. Suddenly, T.K stepped back and this time Kari was surprised. A mixture of dread, confusion and sadness washed over T.K's happy face.  
  
"What?" she asked feeling surprised.  
  
T.K pointed nervously to Kari's right palm. His finger was shaking. Kari looked at her palm and then looked up to T.K sadly.  
  
"I thought *sobs* you were dead…" she said again.  
  
T.K was really confused, doesn't Kari love him anymore? How could she do this to him? Doesn't she have any faith that he'll still be alive? He looked deep into Kari's sad eyes and Kari could see all the pain and confusion that he is suffering. T.K looked devastated.  
  
"Kari, how can this happen?" he asked shakily as he continued to gaze at a shiny, silver gold ring that has a crystal-clear diamond in the shape of a hear on the top. It shone with love and promises.  
  
"Oh T.K!" she cried "I thought you were dead! Everyone did *sobs* I couldn't wait any longer T.K *sobs* I didn't want to give up hope *sobs* but then Taichi *sobs* he…he…said that it was impossible that you would still be alive *sobs* I cried for you every night T.K, even *sobs* even after I accepted this other love *sobs* you were still in my heart *sobs* In fact you're still are *sobs*. T.K I didn't want to go with anyone else, but *sobs* people said to me, that you would have wanted me to move on with my life…*sobs* I Just thought that you were dead…"  
  
Kari pleaded with her eyes for T.K to understand all this. T.K looked glum and angry. The girl that he was always waiting to see, always wanting to touch, is now gone, from him for ever! How can Kari be engaged? She didn't wait long enough! But Kari's pleading look melted T.K's heart. His anger quickly turned to love and affection.  
  
"Kari, can't you break this engagement? Can't you do something that will un bind this?" he asked hoping for her to say yes.  
  
"T.K…I can break this engagement anytime I want…but…" she was cut short by T.K's ideas and remarks.  
  
"Then break it! We will live together and raise a family and our lives will be happy, you want this to happen don't you, Kari? You love me don't you?" he asked desperately.  
  
Kari looked down and more tears flowed down her cheeks, gentle tears. Part of her wants to be with T.K, want to have his tender love, but another part of her told her that Willis had always been there for her, through the rough times and the good times.  
  
"But I love him as well T.K" she said softly.  
  
T.K's heart tightened. He felt like a million knives had stabbed his unprecious heart. He gazed into Kari's ruby eyes, and for just a moment he was lost in a whir pool of love but then he saw her love for him split in two. He then looked down.  
  
"Then there's no need for me to be here…" he said as he made his way around Kari.  
  
Kari quickly grabbed his arm. If T.K had tried to, he could have continued to walk on, Kari's strength wasn't strong enough, but he stopped anyway to hear what Kari has to say.  
  
"T.K I'm so sorry, I didn't know that you will still be alive…I would have waited, you know I would have, but T.K, this has been so hard for everyone especially me…you have to understand, I still love you but I love someone else now…and he has always been here when ever I needed him the most…" Kari explained as best as she could.  
  
He looked at her coldly. "And I wasn't? Kari I was in an avalanche for goodness sake and since you love this boy more then you love me, then there's probably wasn't any of 'us' in the beginning" he said coldly, his voice shaking with uncontrollable anger. He shook his hand out of Kari's and walked off.  
  
Kari shuddered from the tone of coldness in his voice. How could he not understand? T.K had always been the one to understand the most. How can he turn so cold to her? Her shoulders shook slightly then she ran in her room and slammed the door. She laid herself on her bed crying to herself softly. Mourning not for T.K's fake death, but mourning for her lost love that she used to have with T.K. Just like the old times, Kari cried herself to sleep.  
  
That evening, Kari could hear the heavy footsteps in her dorm. They must be preparing dinner now, she though quietly. Kari slowly got up from her bed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a mess. Her hair was very messy, with bits sticking up from different ends, her eyes was red and sore from crying. Kari placed her fingers on her wet cheeks, how rough does it feel now? There was a knock on her door and Kari jumped up in surprise.  
  
"Co…come in…" she croaked out.  
  
The door gently opened and Sakura walked in, her hair done neatly, her eyes twinkling and her nails perfectly manicured. She looked like an angel that had been sent down on earth to help someone when they're in need. Her expression darkened when she saw the state that Kari was in.  
  
"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked as she came up and hugged her.  
  
"Didn't you know…? T.K is alive…" Kari managed to say through her sad state.  
  
Sakura's eyes widened with surprise, her mouth gaped open and her hand dangling from side to side.  
  
"You serious?" she asked excitedly.  
  
Kari nodded vigorously.  
  
"Then what's wrong? Shouldn't you get ready to meet him? Why are you in this condition…" Sakura said.  
  
"Watashi….watashi…" Kari started to say "I already saw him and he didn't approve of my engagement with Willis, he…he… he walked out on me, the first day he came back to meet me…I disappointed him and…and…"  
  
Kari's voice got shaky and it started to crack. She was on the verge of breaking into tears.  
  
"The way he talked to me after wards was so icy, I just don't know what to do anymore…Sakura…I thought he was dead…." Kari couldn't help it anymore she broke into tears, tears of the victim of love.  
  
Sakura patted her on the back but the more she does that, Kari wailed louder. The other girls came running in.  
  
"What's wrong?" Makoto asked once she set her eyes on Kari.  
  
"T.K, he's alive and he wasn't too happy about the engagement…" Sakura said softly.  
  
"He wasn't too happy " Kari cried out "He hated it!"  
  
"What? I'm lost…" Melody said "How can T.K be alive?"  
  
Sakura shrugged her shoulders. What is going on between Kari and T.K is still a mystery for her.  
  
  
  
"So what if he's not too happy about it?" Melody asked vehemently "Kari, T.K didn't even bothered to call or write, if he truly cares for you he would have called you or at least make sure that you know that he's alive for this past 2 years! Willis loves with you all his heart and that engagement ring on your finger, that is a symbol of his love towards you and you accepted it which means that you love him in return…"  
  
Many questions run through Kari's head, does she really and truly love Willis? Or is T.K the boy that she always wanted to be with? Did she only accepted Willis because he reminded her so much of T.K? With these confusing questions running in her head she slowly lost conscious. The people around her evaporated quickly and then all of a sudden it was black.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
T.K looked out the window of the taxi he was in. His eyes blurry with tears. Kari? Engaged with someone? That just doesn't seem right. Why doesn't she love him? He felt frustrated at the moment, why can't things go back to the way it was? Thinking about this made T.K dizzy instead he focused his concentration on the buildings outside. Odaiba hasn't changed one bit, noisy crowds were here in there, outside shops were still in business. He then spotted the familiar structure of his dad's apartment. Never in his life was he so glad to see this building. He got out of the cab quickly and paid the necessary amount and ran as quickly as he could to the right level of the apartment.  
  
He gathered his breath, and knocked slowly but loudly on the door that he used to go through all the time. He could hear running footsteps from inside the door and voices, voices of his old friends. They must be having a reunion party because Mimi's voice could be heard.  
  
"Who can that be?" T.K recognized that voice as Yolei's.  
  
"I don't know, is Taichi or Davis here?"  
  
"Hahaha, very funny" Taichi and Davis retorted.  
  
"Well can it be Kari?"  
  
"Nah, I asked her to come, she said she couldn't leave her school because Willis was going to visit her tomorrow or something…"  
  
"Who can it be then?"  
  
"Why don't you just open the door Yamato Ishida and found out for yourself!" Mimi cried out impatiently.  
  
The door suddenly and T.K saw his bigger brother, standing there, how glad was he to see his 'cool' look. Matt blinked rapidly, could he be dreaming?  
  
"T…Takeru?" he asked.  
  
"Yup!" T.K announced.  
  
Instead of being happy and jumpy he asked confusedly "But how can you be?"  
  
"This girl found me buried under the snow, she was training to be a doctor and she helped me a great deal…I had 2 years to recuperate and now I'm back!" T.K said.  
  
This time Matt, jumped up and hugged his brother tightly.  
  
"Oh T.K, every one misses you, our parents took your death very badly but you're back now and boy is this going to be a surprise!" Matt said grandly.  
  
"Who is it Matt?" someone asked who has short, reddish brown hair and warm amber eyes.  
  
Matt turned to the person and announced.  
  
"Sora, T.K is alive!" he cried out.  
  
Sora put her hand infront of her mouth. She squealed and cried out "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh" she did 'fast feet' with her toes (AN. fast feet is this warm up for netball…gosh I'm tired of that….)  
  
"Everyone T.K is alive!" Sora yelled out. Every one gathered around them and they hugged and embraced, for one moment T.K felt that he was home, home full of happiness and memories. But the girl that he loved wasn't there, she was with another lover. His smile evaporated quickly and was replaced with a sad expression.  
  
"What's wrong?" Taichi asked his amber eyes full of concern.  
  
"Kari, she's engaged isn't she?" T.K asked.  
  
"Oh yeah…" Taichi replied solemnly.  
  
"I can't believe it!" T.K cried "I gathered all my strengths, think about her every day and night and never in my life I would thought that she would be engaged to someone else…!"  
  
"T.K, you had everyone worried and fooled, everyone thought you were dead…so you see it wasn't entirely her fault…." Matt said aloud.  
  
"Why don't we stop worrying about it? Let's all visit her tomorrow, I mean I want to visit her too, I haven't seen her in a long, long time!" Mimi said.  
  
"I don't want to go there…I don't want to see her face, it would only hurt me more…" T.K said as he walked to the balcony.  
  
Matt was about to go after him but Mimi stopped him. "Let me talk to him…" Mimi said, her hazelnut eyes were filled with determination that Matt didn't dare to object, instead he just nodded, his blond hair covering his eyes. Mimi pivoted and marched off to T.K. She quietly stood next to him, looking at the same stars that he was looking at.  
  
"What are you going to do about it?" Mimi asked softly.  
  
T.K snorted. "What am I going to do about it?" he asked with a smirk on his face "What can I do about it?"  
  
"You can prove to her how much she means to you…"  
  
"I told her already that I really love her, but she told me she was also in love with her other lover…or I should say fiancée…."  
  
"So you're going to give up?" Mimi flared "You're going to give up the girl that is the love of your life, just because she's engaged? Don't you think that she still has you in her heart, it's just covered with a door that only you can open, find the key deep in your heart, T.K, and you will win her back!"  
  
T.K looked at Mimi with blurry eyes. "Don't you think I tried? I love her Mimi, more than you can imagine, but if marrying that, that….that guy is what she wants then let it be! If she's happy, than that's fine with me!"  
  
Mimi looked at him, awed about him sacrificing his feelings just because he wanted to see Kari happy. His love towards her must be really strong. Mimi was determined to get these ex-couple together again.  
  
"T.K, you can't give up just like that! I know you wouldn't stand to see her getting kisses from someone else, I know you wouldn't be able to see her in someone else's arms, you wouldn't be able to see her children because you will be too depressed! Thinking that it could have been your children, thinking that it could have been your family, your home! If you really care for her, I suggest you come with me tomorrow and visit her…"  
  
T.K looked at Mimi disbelievingly. Mimi hasn't changed, always have to get her way, but she was so sincere, the only thing that has changed was her selfishness, she has become more mature. T.K could only nod at this.  
  
"Good, be ready!" she quipped. She hugged T.K comfortingly. "You'll win her back, you will, you'll see…" she said before she walked away leaving a nervous T.K behind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The light of the morning sun crept through the windows of Saint Rachel's Academy. Kari gave a soft moan and welcomed the sunshine. She fluttered open her eyes to find a pair of blue eyes looking down on her.  
  
"Willis…" she moaned tiredly.  
  
Willis bent down and kissed her softly on the lips and made Kari's spine tingle. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her passionately as he put his body on top of hers. His kiss was demanding and possessive. Kari didn't object, how can she give up Willis? He's too good to be true.  
  
The door to her room opened slightly and Makoto put her head in. Kari and Willis got up surprisedly and felt quite embarrassed.  
  
"Makoto!" Kari said she didn't bother to hide the annoyance out of her voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kari, but, there's someone here to see you…they're waiting in the lounge room…" Makoto explained, trying to make sure that Kari understood that she didn't look in, on purpose.  
  
"They?" Kari asked "How many people?"  
  
"Just 3, I recognize 2 but not 1…she has strawberry pink hair and she looked amazingly pretty, I wouldn't be surprised if she's your brother's girlfriend…" there was a note of jealousy and disappointment in her voice.  
  
Kari gave it a thought, Sora doesn't have pink hair does she? She thought about it harder then realized that it was Mimi!  
  
"I'll be out in a minute!" Kari cried and Makoto closed the door behind them.  
  
Kari brushed her hair neatly and put on her nicest clothes on. If she was going to meet Mimi, she has to be fashionable or Mimi would embarrass her about her outfit. She told Willis to turn around as she put on a cream- coloured skirt that reached her knees and a black quarter-length blouse.  
  
"How do I look?" she finally asked.  
  
"Why do you need to get dressed up?" he replied.  
  
"You haven't met Mimi, she just has to see people in the latest fashion, even though what I'm wearing is not the most recent, but, it would have to do…let's go…" Kari ordered.  
  
"Where? To see them?"  
  
"Of course, where else?"  
  
"Aren't you going to was your face first and re brush your hair?"  
  
Kari clasped her hand to her forehead. She ran out of her room to the bathroom as quickly as possible to make her short sighted. Willis ran after her and watched his fiancée brush her teeth, wash her face and re do her hair.  
  
They both walked hand in hand to the lounge room. Kari gasped surprise once she saw T.K and felt sorry for him when she realized she was hand in hand with Willis.  
  
Willis looked at T.K, he looked familiar, could it be? No it can't be…but could he be T.K? Kari's long, dead boyfriend? He examined T.K and saw the fire of rage burning in his eyes. Willis turned to look at Kari and saw that she was feeling nervous…of course it has to be him. Willis looked back at T.K, also fire burning in his eyes. Kari, realizing the tension felt weak, what a day it would be for her today.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
So what do you think? I really hope you like it! ReVieW!! And sorry about my mistakes and everything. Thankyou for the people who pointed out my mistakes!  
  
~CheRRyBLosSom~ 


	4. Complex Situations

Hi I'm sorry it had taken me this long but school had been a great problem…anyway in your reviews please put your email …so I can email you, telling you when the next chapter comes out!  
  
Anyway R+R!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Complex Situations  
  
For just a few moments, everything was quiet. No one said a word, no one uttered a sound all that could be heard was the breathing of each other's breath. Everyone looked at each other's faces, examining, bit by bit, trying not missed any details. Finally Kari broke the silence.  
  
"Hi! How are you all?" she asked with a fake cheerful face.  
  
"I'm doing fine, Kari…" Taichi said.  
  
"I'm doing just great…" Mimi replied.  
  
T.K grunted that meant along the lines of, can't you tell I'm depressed? Kari ignored T.K's poor reply. She walked over to Mimi and embraced her in a friendly hug.  
  
"I missed you so much, Mimi" she said.  
  
"Yes so have I…" Mimi answered, they both parted and Mimi looked at Kari carefully "My, you've grown so much! You are more beautiful than the last time I saw you! No wonder men can't help but to fight over you…" Mimi gave her 'a look' and Kari understood very quickly. Mimi was referring to Willis and T.K, and before Daisuke. Kari shifted her ruby red eyes uncomfortably.  
  
"Why don't we take a walk along side of the lake? It's a magnificent view…isn't it Willis?" Kari asked as she looked back at her annoyed fiancée.  
  
"Yeah…" Willis said as he nodded towards Kari.  
  
"That's a good idea!" Mimi exclaimed.  
  
"You all can take that walk…" T.K said lazily "I can't be bothered…" T.K caught the look that Mimi was giving him, a mixture of disappointment, anger and annoyance. "But on second thought, a walk should do me just fine…" T.K quickly added. Mimi smiled in approval.  
  
"Well, I think I'm going to stay here…" Taichi replied "It's so tiring to drive that car up here…"  
  
"Ok onni-chan, take a deep rest, if you want anything just ask Makoto…" Kari said.  
  
Taichi slightly nodded and then went off to the kitchen. The sweet aroma of food churned his stomach. Kari and Mimi slightly giggled.  
  
"Let's go on that walk, ne?" Mimi said.  
  
They all straightened their selves out and walked out to the wonderful breeze of the morning. The soothing air brushed on their body, sending an amazing sensation through their bodies. They walked past the well-cut gardens and past the other dorms and buildings. Kari waved at some of the girls that were enjoying themselves in the morning sun. Kari was in between of Willis and Mimi, T.K was standing next to Mimi. Mimi suddenly grabbed hold of Kari's right, soft hand and pulled her as Mimi ran away from the boys. Her laughter rang in Willis's and T.K's ears. By doing this, Mimi had left the two boys alone, trailing behind her and Kari. Maybe by doing this, it would help them sort out this problem…and maybe then Willis will understand that Kari belonged to T.K.  
  
The two boys didn't say anything to each other. Their intensity gazes were fixed on the two girls a few metres away from them. Then Mimi shouted out "You two guys, I can't hear you bonding with each other! I really think you should, since T.K will be the best man!"  
  
Both Willis and T.K looked confused. T.K, best man? How? What? Since when? These questions ran through T.K's and Willis's head. They brushed those questions away and, it was silent again, apart from the voices of the girls at the front. T.K then finally spoke up.  
  
"Enjoying life?" he asked spitefully.  
  
"Of course I am…" Willis replied.  
  
"Of course you are, what a dumb question, who ever has Kari, must be enjoying life…" T.K added.  
  
Willis gave T.K a weird look.  
  
"What? Isn't it true? Aren't you enjoying life because of her?" T.K asked almost screaming but Kari and Mimi was pretty far away by then. Willis and T.K came into a halt and faced each other. Both of their faces were burning with rage.  
  
"Yes it's true! My life had gotten so much better with her by my side and now that you have come back I wont guarantee that any longer!" Willis spat vehemently.  
  
"YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!" T.K cried "For goodness sake Willis! You have no idea what I went through, I just wanted to get back alive because I want to see her, I want to love her, I want to take care of her, I just want to be with her! But no….you had to spoil it by coming into her life! You're a….a….a….a BAKA!"  
  
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME A BAKA, YOU HEAR?" Willis screamed at him. "You're pathetic T.K! You're just stupid! How can you blame me for this? What have I done? All I did was tried to make Kari happy…! How can you expect her to wait for you for two years when people said that you were dead? Don't you understand that? She thought you were dead! WE thought you were dead! Get the point?"  
  
Tears burned in T.K's eyelids, the figure of Willis was clouded with his tears. But he kept it in, not wanting to let Willis see him cry.  
  
"You just spoil everything," T.K started again "I gathered my strengths just for her, Willis! She's my dreams come true and I just want to be with her! She's everything a guy could ask for and she was mine and if only I didn't went on that camping trip, you would have never existed in her life and she would still be mine…If only I could turn back time…"  
  
"Well isn't it bad luck that you can't, and isn't it bad luck that you went on that trip and isn't it bad luck that I'm engaged to her and you're not!" Willis said nastily. His eyes glistened with anger.  
  
"How can you be so nasty? Kari should have done some work on you, to make you pure and innocent! Why you're just the devil himself!"  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT!" "If I was the devil, I wouldn't have the ability to love… and I love Kari with all my heart you understand me?"  
  
"I don't care if you do or not! I love her too, much more than you can ever imagine! That I can tell you now! You have no idea how much history I have with her, you have no idea how much we've been through, in fact you don't know her half as much as I do!"  
  
"That's a whole lot utter of rubbish! I know many things about her!"  
  
"But not as much as I do!"  
  
"SO? Then if she'd been through a lot with you, how come after you came back she didn't break the engagement, why didn't she just go off with you?"  
  
Those words stung T.K's ears. He could hear running footsteps coming their way. He looked up to found an out – of - breath Mimi and an angry Kari.  
  
"I heard that Willis…" Kari said.  
  
T.K then looked and faced Willis. "You know why? You want to know why? It's because she pitied you…" and with that T.K turned and ran away from them leaving Willis's mouth gaping open.  
  
T.K just wanted to get away from them, away from the cruelty of the world. What was the point of living if he couldn't be with Kari? It was just impossible for him to live his life, without Kari's charming smile, without her loving eyes, her tender touch, her voice and care. His heart and world was just empty without her laughter and most definitely without her. He turned back just for a moment, to see Kari, Willis and Mimi. He could outline their small figures in the distance. Maybe he should just leave Kari alone, and let her enjoy her life. He cried silently in his heart, burying his jealousy.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*Kari~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kari looked at T.K's body figure as it grew smaller and smaller. How she wished that this had never happened. Kari then glared angrily at Willis.  
  
"Just what did you say to T.K, Willis? I want the truth and I want it now!" Kari demanded with a tone of superior in her voice.  
  
"I…well…first of all…he told me that I was a baka because I came into your life and stole you away from him, and then he started telling me that he knows you better than I do…and then he called me 'the devil'" Willis explained with annoyance in his voice.  
  
Kari's eyes burned with tears, never in her life, had she heard T.K being this nasty. She was the cause of all problems. No matter if she got married to Willis, the feelings she had for T.K will never change, nothing will change, not one bit. Oh T.K, she said in her thoughts, I'm sorry for all the pain I'd caused for you, if only I could turn back time I would have never given up hope… I'm so sorry… Kari's lips wobbled slightly and then rapidly. Mimi patted her on the back sympathetically.  
  
Kari suddenly ran from both Willis and Mimi. She needed to be alone. She couldn't stay with them. She would definitely break Willis's heart if she broke the engagement, and yet she couldn't stand seeing T.K like this. And she couldn't lie to herself, T.K was still in her heart and the feelings for him will never go away. Kari let the tears flow freely down her cheeks as she ran away to find a peaceful place to be alone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~T.K~*~*~*~*~  
  
T.K's eyes were swollen from crying, he knew that guys aren't supposed to cry, but he couldn't help it, what guy could stop themselves from crying if he was about to loose the girl that meant the world to him? T.K was sitting down on the lush, green grass in a quiet section of the school. It seemed like no one had been here before, it was clean, there were amazing flowery scents around and no rubbish could be spotted. T.K's knees were up and his two hands were resting on it. Kari, oh Kari, the sweet, innocent angel that had been sent down to made love possible for everyone, where are you? Why have you abandoned me? Did I do something wrong that could possibly make you love another? T.K asked himself like an insane person.  
  
He then felt another presence near him, he could hear the shuffling of someone's feet brushing against the grass. Then Kari suddenly appeared which brought T.K back to reality, making himself sane again. Kari looked just as surprised as he was. They both gazed into each other's eyes and were awed at what they're seeing. All the love that they had for each other just shone through their eyes.  
  
"Kari…what are you – hey wait, why are you crying?" T.K asked worriedly as he quickly rushed up to Kari and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Kari's shoulders heaved even more as soon as he did this.  
  
"Hey, what's the matter? No matter what it is Kari, it's going to be ok…" T.K said trying to comfort the girl of his life. He kissed her amber hair gently giving Kari an old memory and an old feeling. T.K had done this to her before and she had always found it comforting, even now.  
  
"Why don't we sit down?" T.K asked softly. "And maybe then you can tell me what is troubling your mind? And maybe I can help you out…"  
  
T.K's words were so soothing and promising, it made Kari nod slightly. How she wished everything could go back to the way it was. T.K helped her to walk to where he was sitting before. He gently sat down, followed by Kari. They were so close together that they couldn't help but to relive their old memories together. The memories that seemed to happen years and years ago, it was just like a dreamy memory. A ghost memory. A memory of their past life. Without realizing it Kari had tilted her head on to T.K's muscular shoulders. They felt so comfortable in each other's arms that they never wanted to let go of each other. They were definitely meant to be, many obstacles just had to be in their way. It seemed like they were in a far away land, they were inside their special paradise, not caring about anyone but each other, their eyelids grew heavy and T.K suddenly lied back on the grass. Kari then placed her head on his chest and wrapped her hands around his waist. T.K had one of his arms around Kari's shoulders. They both fell asleep in each other arms, for the first time in 2 sad years.  
  
~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Willis and Mimi sat quietly on the sofa in Kari's dorm, waiting for the moment when Kari or T.K would burst through the entrance. Then the door suddenly opened, Mimi and Willis looked up, hoping that it would be Kari or T.K but instead it was Melody. Her long hair flew graciously behind her as she made her entranced. Willis and Mimi thought she looked amazing. Melody then turned their way and flashed a smile and before they knew it, she disappeared into her room.  
  
Mimi sighed loudly. Where was T.K and Kari? Most importantly where was T.K? They had to drive back to Odaiba. She slumped her head on the sofa and angrily pouted. Mimi then looked at Willis. He looked like he was about to fall off the edge of his seat, Mimi thought that he looked very worried, well of course he had to be worried, his fiancée hadn't returned yet. Maybe breaking Kari's and Willis's engagement wasn't such a good idea. Mimi tried to think about something else, she smiled quietly and was lost in thoughts when she started to think about Koushiro Izumi. She was brought back to reality when she heard a great big 'thud' She looked around her and realized that Willis had indeed fallen off the seat. Weirdo, she muttered under her breath.  
  
Mimi looked at Willis, one of her eyebrows raised. One side of her lips was up, giving her a very bossy look. She looked questioningly at Willis.  
  
"What?" he asked, feeling very annoyed with the look that she was giving him.  
  
"You're acting very…" Mimi stopped as she thought for a word that could best 'explain' his behaviour. "Idiotically…"  
  
"Don't tell me that I'm an idiot!" Willis said, his temper rising up.  
  
"Easy on the temper…" Mimi said with her hands in front of her chest "Anyway, I never said that you were an idiot, I just said you're acting like one…!"  
  
"That's just the same!"  
  
"No it's not!"  
  
"Yes it is!"  
  
It was stubbornness against stubbornness. Mimi had finally met her match.  
  
"Can't you tell the difference? I said you were acting idiotically…I never said that you were an idiot! If I think that you're an idiot I would have said it straight away!" Mimi objected.  
  
"But in saying that you think I act idiotically, it's just the same as you saying that I'm an idiot! Get me?" Willis pointed.  
  
"No I don't get you, are you dumb or something, didn't you hear me, if I thought you're an idiot I would have said it! and anyway I think you're an idiot now ! See! I said it! I'm always honest with my opinions!" Mimi scowled.  
  
"Wha…what? Now you're calling me an idiot?" Willis asked outrageously.  
  
"Yes I suppose so!" Mimi cried out.  
  
"Why you…." Willis started to say but then realized that he's having an argument with a girl, an older girl! What a waste of time.  
  
"I what?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Nothing…" Willis quickly replied.  
  
Mimi smiled triumphantly, she was still unbeatable. The day was getting darker and Willis glanced around worriedly. There he goes again, Mimi said to herself, just like an idiot. But then Mimi started to worry too. Where was T.K? She needed to drive back to Odaiba! Mimi looked at Willis again, this time his face was pale, his lips were white. Mimi thought he was sick.  
  
"Are you ok?" she asked.  
  
"No…"  
  
"Why not…"  
  
"Because, my parents will be arriving any minute…"  
  
"Wha….what?" Mimi asked surprisedly.  
  
"Yes, they will be here…they wanted to meet Kari…"  
  
"What do you mean, your parents hasn't seen Kari?"  
  
"Nope, I just gotten engaged did you know that? And my parents had always been busy with their work, they're so absorbed into it…they didn't even realized that I was engaged even though I told them a few times, only today they could make time to meet me and her….and now she's not here, what would my parents think? They might make me break off the engagement…."  
  
"Oh my gosh…"  
  
"Yes oh my gosh…" he said quietly. The colour seemed to be drained out of him, but then it all came back to him "Hey Mimi! Do you think you can help me?"  
  
"With what?"  
  
"With this!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Pretend to be Kari for me?"  
  
Mimi didn't have time to reply for suddenly the door swung open. In walked the most elegant people she had ever set her eyes upon. The lady had her blonde hair pinned up to a tight bun, and crystal earings were dangling on her ears. She was dressed in a purple velvet gown and she was using spectacular jewelries. She had the superior look on her face. The man on the other hand, looked gentle and kind. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and he had his lips curved into a thin smile.  
  
"Willis!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Hi…da…dad" Willis croaked.  
  
Willis's mum suddenly dashed off to Mimi. Grabbed Mimi's hands and looked at her with awe on her face.  
  
"So Willis honey, is this your amazing fiancée that you've been talking about?" she asked with an elegant tone.  
  
Mimi looked at Willis and Willis looked at Mimi. Both were thinking the same thing. What should they do now?  
  
~~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*  
  
So what do you think? Please Review! And don't forget to contain your emails if you're anonymous. Anyway I was thinking to change my pen name…should I?  
  
~CherryBlossom~ 


	5. Thorns On A Flower

Hi! Sorry it has taken me a long time to write this but I have been going out coz it's holidays! Please review this for me! Read And EnjoY!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Thorns On A Flower  
  
"Why the silence?" Mrs. Williams asked.  
  
Mimi's mind raced really fast. She couldn't pretend to be Kari, they were so different to each other.  
  
"Erm, no I'm not Kari, Kari is err- in her room, I'll erm, I'll make you some tea while we wait…" Mimi said nervously.  
  
"Why that's nice of you dear…" Mrs. Williams said letting go of Mimi's shaking hands.  
  
"*Laughed nervously* Why don't you just sit down and make yourself comfortable?" Mimi suggested.  
  
"Thankyou dear…"  
  
~Melody and Sakura~  
  
The two girls were in Melody's room, giggling and laughing at each other.  
  
"So how are you doing with Syaoran, Sakura?" Melody asked with curiosity.  
  
"We're doing fine, but we're just friends, unfortunately, he haven't asked me to go on a date just yet, honestly doesn't he get the hints I'm giving him?!?" Sakura asked with annoyance in her voice.  
  
"*Laughs* Poor Sakura" Melody teased.  
  
"Hmph! So Melody…who do you like right now?" Sakura asked, this time she was the one with curiosity.  
  
"Oh?" Melody couldn't tell anyone who she likes. It was personal, very personal. "Oh no one. Hey Sakura! Did you know that I got chosen to be Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet?"  
  
Sakura's face brightened. "You serious? Oh my gosh! Congratulations! I've never seen you act before! You must be marvelous that Ms. Bronzen actually chose you to be that part, you know how choosy and picky she is!"  
  
Melody's face beamed with embarrassment. She smiled at Sakura and said "Thankyou, I never really thought that I would get chosen…"  
  
"You must be amazing!" Sakura rambled on "Can you do an act for me? I want to see how convincing you are of your character…!?"  
  
"What you want me to pretend to be Juliet?" Melody asked confusedly.  
  
"No no…hmm…I know go pretend to be Kari! Go on, go downstairs and act like Kari to Willis and say that you're Kari and all that! I want to see his expression…"  
  
"What? Kari will get mad at me!"  
  
"Oh come on Melody, Kari will understand, it's just an act remember?" Sakura persuaded.  
  
They argued some more but Melody gave in at the end. "Ok go on!"  
  
~Mimi & Willis~  
  
They sipped the tea quietly listening to the chatters that Mrs. Williams and Mr. Williams were doing. Willis's face was red with pressure, where was Kari? Then all of a sudden they heard Willis's name being called out.  
  
"Willis, honey! Where are you?" The voice said.  
  
Everyone on the table turned to find Melody with her hair let loose, wearing one of Kari's clothing. She stopped dead, when she realized who Mimi and Willis was accompanied by.  
  
Mrs. Williams quickly got up and ran to Melody. "So you must be the famous Kari I've been hearing about from my son!" She exclaimed.  
  
Melody looked shocked and so did Mimi and Sakura and Willis. Melody looked at Willis and she could see him slightly nod.  
  
"Yes…I am Kari…" Melody said, the words just came stumbling out of her mouth.  
  
"Oh yes, hmm, Willis didn't do bad, you're amazingly beautiful!" Mrs. Williams said as she examined Melody bit by bit.  
  
Melody blushed slightly and smiled sweetly at Mrs. Williams.  
  
"Henry!" Mrs. Williams called out to Mr. Williams "Did you bring the camera?"  
  
"Yup! Right here!" he replied as he patted his pocket.  
  
"Well get it out! We need to take the photo, and enlarge it!" Mrs. Williams exclaimed.  
  
A look of horror crept through Willis's pressured face.  
  
"Mother, why exactly are we taking the photo?" Willis asked, his voice shaking slightly.  
  
"Well, we just want to put it in our living room, why the pictures we have are of you and us and our other relatives, it's about time we have a young, pretty girl like Kari here to be put in our living room!" she said grandly.  
  
"But err- Mother, I really think we should do this some other time, I mean Kari is tired, aren't you?" Willis said desperately.  
  
Melody nodded her head vigorously, a look of paleness and sickness crept over her beautiful face. ^Magnificent actress^ Sakura thought silently.  
  
"Nonsense! Don't do anything he asks you to do, Kari…" she said, looking through Melody's act of being sick.  
  
"Mother's a councilor" Willis whispered in Melody's ears.  
  
Melody nodded her head in reply. Suddenly Mrs. William clapped her hands.  
  
"Come on, chop, chop! Get into position!" Mrs. Williams.  
  
Willis and Melody had no chance, Mrs. Williams were true to her words, if she wanted to get a photo, then she get one. Melody and Willis were told to sit on the couch and do a romantic position.  
  
"Oh my gosh…" Willis softly moaned.  
  
~T.K and Kari~  
  
Kari's eyelids fluttered open slowly and she was confused the moment she saw where she was. She then felt the arm around her shoulder and looked to the side. She saw the figure of T.K and smiled enchantingly. Kari sat up and bumped T.K softly that he too woke up. He too, looked a little bit surprised at where he was but then he noticed Kari, and he smiled at her.  
  
"Kari…" said T.K softly.  
  
Kari placed her index finger on T.K's lips with her eyes moving from his lips to his eyes. "Hush…" she said and gently placed her lips on his. They tasted the sweetness of each other and for a moment they were lost in their own paradise. But then Kari realized that she was cheating on Willis, but how was she able to resist the temptation that had befallen on her? It was impossible! She continued kissing him, falling into his hands and his love. T.K finally broke off the kiss.  
  
"Kari, do you realize what you're doing? I don't want you to regret this afterwards, you do realize that by doing this you're cheating on Willis?" T.K's sensible side said out.  
  
Kari struggled with herself and looked very confused. "Oh T.K, I don't know, I know this is wrong, but it feels so right, how can I ever resist you T.K? I might of have fallen in love with Willis, but it seemed so long ago…now that you're here, I realized that Willis was just…a substitute of you…now I know that was harsh but it was the way it is, your facial features are so alike! But T.K, how can I break his heart?"  
  
T.K looked startled for a moment and then smiled at Kari. "If you feel this is right, it's best if you just tell him, you're willing to do this aren't you, Kari?"  
  
Kari nodded. Her love with T.K was the greatest love of all. "Of course T.K…"  
  
~Willis and Melody~  
  
"Yup, just like that, stay like that, *click* wonderful…hmm" Mrs. Williams were telling Melody and Willis to do poses. She was like a professional photographer. Mimi was a little bit jealous that she didn't get to be in the spotlight.  
  
Mrs. Williams had one hand across her chest and the other holding her chin, she was in deep thought.  
  
"Aha!" she cried out.  
  
The others jumped at her sudden outburst.  
  
"You two stand up…yes, face each other, Willis hold Kari's waist! And Kari please place your hands on his chest, yes like that, magnificent!"  
  
Willis and Melody couldn't help but to look in each other's eyes. Their gazed locked and before the know it they were also lip-locked. Mimi's mouth gaped open and Sakura's eyes widened but Mrs. Williams clapped her hands in delight and told Mr. William to continue clicking away.  
  
They continued to kiss and then the door to the front door opened. In walked Kari and T.K. Kari's eyes widened as she saw the scene. Sakura looked scared, Mimi looked startled, T.K looked shocked and Mr. And Mrs. Williams looked surprised. Even though Kari loved T.K more than she loved Willis she felt as if her heart had been stabbed. Melody and Willis looked up because of they could only hear silence. They both looked scared and shocked when they saw Kari, standing there, with a look of sadness and anger on her face.  
  
"And who is this young lady?" Mrs. Williams asked.  
  
Sakura spoke up. "Err- that's our other roommate, Melody…"  
  
Kari's head swung her way. Her eyes looked deadly. Sakura cowered back.  
  
"Oh? Ok…" Mrs. Williams said as though Kari wasn't important or even mattered.  
  
Kari started to walk out of the dorm, followed closely by T.K. And then suddenly they heard other footsteps behind them. They turned back and saw Willis and Melody coming their way. Kari stopped and crossed her hands across her chest, her lips pouting. T.K just looked at them disgustedly. How can they kiss like that in front of people? Melody and Willis looked really frightened.  
  
"Just what is going on?" Kari asked before neither of them could say anything.  
  
"Kari, my parents arrived and you weren't here…and…" Willis started so say.  
  
"And what, Willis?" Kari asked "And Melody just happened to be there and pretended to be me?"  
  
"Yes!" Willis exclaimed.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" Kari said disgustedly.  
  
"Look Kari, it's not the way as it looks, I got the part for Juliet and – " Melody said but was cut short by Kari.  
  
"Wow! Bravo!" Kari said sarcastically.  
  
"Kari, listen to me…" Melody pleaded.  
  
"I don't have to listen to this…"  
  
"Kari you have to, listen to my explanation…"  
  
"Kari, I think you should let them say what the reason was…" T.K said to Kari. Kari nodded her head hesitantly.  
  
"Well, as I said, I got the part, and Sakura was … over excited I guess, she asked me to act like you to Willis and see his expression, we were doing this for fun honest, we had no idea that his parents were here and when we came down everything just seemed to happen quickly…"  
  
"Oh and you just happen to kiss him?" Kari asked her anger melting.  
  
"No, Mrs. Williams wanted us to be that way…" Melody lied.  
  
Kari's face softened. "Well what do you suppose we do now?"  
  
"Just carry this act…for a few days and then later on, tell my parents that this was an act so we could help Melody practice for her act and we couldn't tell them who we really were because it will spoil everything…a character has to believe their character to actually express their feelings…" Willis suggested.  
  
"Well…" Kari hesitated but then nodded. "Ok, but not too long, I don't think I can do this for long…"  
  
Willis smiled and nodded. They all walked in inside the dorm and Mimi and Sakura was afraid to say anything, they might say the wrong names. The night carried on just fine and T.K and Mimi decided to stay over night. Taichi and Makoto appeared later on and T.K had quickly and quietly explained everything that was happening. Taichi was happy when he saw the happiness on his little sister's face by being with T.K, but that happiness on her face was shattered by an un invited guest.  
  
They were just having their dinner when the door to their dorm rang. Makoto went out and greeted the guest. She came back in to the dining room looking confused. She whispered something to T.K and T.K looked shocked. He excused himself from the table and followed Makoto. Kari being very curious also excused herself out of the room and followed T.K and Makoto. What she saw and heard broke her heart into a million pieces. She saw a girl with shoulder-length amethyst hair with bright – emerald green eyes. She was light-skinned and she wore long, flared jeans and a white sweater. She hugged T.K, not in a friendly hug, but a possessive hug and placed kisses on his face.  
  
"T.K I've been looking for you, after you left I thought that I couldn't go on, it took so much work to find out where you are, but T.K I'm here, and I want us to be together, you remember of course when you first kissed me? That was my first, oh T.K we're going to be so happy!" she exclaimed.  
  
Kari's lips wobbled when T.K did no rejection, the tears poured down her soft cheeks, T.K turned because he sensed another person's presence, when he saw Kari a look of fear crept on his face. T.K broke free from the hold and went to Kari but Kari had run away and locked herself in her room and cried on her bed. How can this happen? How come T.K never told me? She cuddled up under her blanket and sang to herself. (AN. This song is sang by Destiny's Child called Brown Eyes)  
  
'I know that he loves me coz he told me so,  
  
I know that he loves me coz he's feeling show,  
  
When he stares at me, you see he cares for me,  
  
You see how he so deep in love,  
  
I know that he loves me coz it's obvious,  
  
I know that he loves me coz it's me he trusts,  
  
And he's missing me, if he's not kissing me,  
  
And when he looks at me, his blue eyes tells his soul…'  
  
Kari fell asleep as she sang this song, hoping that the words that she sang were true about T.K and her. Just as her love was blossoming something comes to spoil it. Her love was just like a flower with thorns. Kari fell asleep dreaming of a true love and a peaceful love, wondering whether she would find a love like that when today doesn't know what tomorrow would bring.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So what do you think? Hope you enjoyed this chapter  
  
Please review!  
  
  
  
~CherryBLossom~ 


	6. Please Just Listen To me

Hi!! I'm so proud to say that I had time to write this chapter! Woohoo! Hehehe…anyway please review this ok? Enjoy!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Please Just Listen  
  
The chirping birds outside Kari's window woke her up. The sunlight blazed through her window, shining bright into her eyes. She covered her face with her hands. Kari rested for about 5 minutes before she decided to get up. Kari made her bed and then stretched her body. Kari went to her wardrobe and got some of her outfits out. She then went to her door and opened it slowly and quietly. She poked her head out and looked from side to side. As soon as she looked to her right she saw T.K sitting down on the floor, leaning his body against the wall, his eyes tightly shut. Apparently he had been waiting for Kari to come out all night.  
  
Oh T.K, Kari thought silently in her heart. Kari quietly tip toed herself to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and gave out a sigh of relief. She undressed herself and took a nice, warm bath.  
  
~*Willis*~  
  
Willis's eyes slowly opened and looked up at the ceiling then his gaze went to the girl sleeping peacefully beside him. Her breathing somehow soothed him. He smiled at the slender figure beside him. He continued to stare at her, examining her every detail. Then, slowly her eyes fluttered open. She looked very dreamy, her eyes looked as if it'd just seen an amazing thing, a wonderful dream. But then that dreamy look turned into a shocked one. She jumped up off the bed. Willis stared at her, not knowing what to do.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"Don't you remember, Melody? The act and everything, my parents told us to go to sleep after dinner and then we both came in here, without knowing it we both fell asleep, I guess…" Willis explained.  
  
"Oh…well please get out of here now, what would Kari say?" she asked.  
  
"Kari…oh yeah…! I have to get out of here!" Willis said finally realizing the reality. "She would be mad, ok…err- I'm sorry about this Melody…"  
  
Melody nodded as she witnessed Willis getting up and out of her room. She sighed quietly. She really didn't want Willis to go, she just put on a brilliant act, she knew why Willis was in her room, she knew everything. She had been awaked for a few minutes, she woke before Willis did and when she realized that, she pressed her body closer to his and pretended she didn't know anything. She very much knew that this was wrong and it could really hurt Kari but….she couldn't help it, Willis was her prince charming. She collapsed on her bed and thought about it.  
  
Why did Kari have to get all the good guys? She asked herself enviously. Not only were they good looking but they were nice too, extremely nice. Melody couldn't help but to envy Kari day by day. Maybe if they continued to do this act, Willis might actually fall for her, yes that's it, just continue this act and always make excuses why they should continue and everything will work perfectly fine, she hoped.  
  
Melody got up from her bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't look to bad, in fact, she was very pretty. She couldn't help but to fall in love with her image, she knew that falling in love with yourself was a sin but…someone as pretty as she must be loved. Why shouldn't she fall in love with herself? No one else does…tears streamed down her face, she buried her face in her hands. She was confused, very confused.  
  
~*Kari*~  
  
Kari got out of the bath tub and dressed herself. She wore long, white flared pants and a sleeveless purple turtleneck. Kari blow dried her hair and then she pinned her hair up to a pony tail. When Kari was satisfied with the way she looked she opened the door and walked out. Kari jumped up when she saw T.K's back. He then, turned and looked at her with sad looking eyes. Kari couldn't look at him. The thought of him just disgusted her now. She tried to go to her room but T.K was blocking the way. After a few attempts she looked at him defeated.  
  
"What? Can't you see that I'm trying to go?" she asked coldly.  
  
"Kari we need to talk…" T.K said.  
  
"Oh and about what?" she asked with a tone of iciness.  
  
"About us…"  
  
"There are no us! There's just you and that…that…old hag…!"  
  
"Kari control your words, this isn't like you…"  
  
"Oh and breaking a girl's heart is like you?"  
  
"Kari please…"  
  
Kari shove T.K out of her way and she was surprised at how much power she had. T.K hit his back to the wall and he could feel the pain along his back. Kari gasped and looked concern but that look was replaced by hatefulness. She looked around to see that no one was within ear shot.  
  
"Oh and T.K, don't think I'm going to break Willis's heart for you, I'm willing to marry him whether you like it or not!" she hissed and with that she walked away from T.K and slammed the door to her room.  
  
T.K closed his eyes and hoped this was all a dream, if only she knew the real reason why he had kissed Yvette she wouldn't had been that cold towards him. If only she would just listen. T.K ignored the pain on his back and walked towards Kari's room. He knocked on the door but there was no answer.  
  
"Kari! Let me talk to you please…!" he called out.  
  
"Go away!" was her reply.  
  
"Kari open this door!!!"  
  
"Make me!"  
  
"Please don't make this harder for me, I don't want to bang down this door!"  
  
"Bang it if you like and please save up your money for the damages!!"  
  
"Kari I'm going to stay out here until you come out…"  
  
Silence…  
  
"Suit yourself!"  
  
T.K placed his back on to the wall and slid down. He bowed his head down. Willis then walked past him and looked at him with a 'weird' look.  
  
"And what are you doing?" Willis asked.  
  
"Mind your own business…" T.K snapped.  
  
"Well since your sitting in front of my fiancée 's room I think that it is my business…" Willis answered.  
  
"As far as you're concerned your fiancée is in the room at the end, and as far as you're concerned this is Melody's room not Kari's and you should just go back to sleep with that girl that you slept with last night…!"  
  
"Wha…what?"  
  
"You slept on the same bed didn't you?"  
  
"I certainly did not!"  
  
"Where else could you have slept? There was no other room! I was out here all night, Mimi is with Makoto, Yvette is with Sakura and Taichi was in the living room on the sofa bed, your parents went to the main building and where were you Willis? Where else could you have slept? The bathroom?..."  
  
"I…I…well, yes I did slept in Melody's room…but not on her bed…She laid some blankets out on the floor and I slept there…"  
  
"Yeah someone as royal as you could sleep on the floor…" T.K said not believing a word Willis was saying.  
  
Willis looked at T.K with bloodshot eyes. "It is not my fault that I come from a rich and distinguished family not like you!"  
  
T.K stood up, anger flowing through his veins. "So you're saying I'm poor?!?" T.K asked while he clenched his fist.  
  
"You come from a neighbourhood where they don't teach well manners, you shouldn't be recognized at all by my family!"  
  
"Are you dumb Willis? Kari grew up from the same neighbourhood as I did! I was always by her side since she was 8 years old !"  
  
"She was lucky that she met me!"  
  
T.K couldn't take it anymore. He threw a hard punch on Willis's cheek. There was such force and power into it that Willis fell back. He clutched his swollen cheek and looked at T.K with hatred. Taichi came running to the corridor where the rooms were. He looked at T.K then at Willis.  
  
"What happened here…?" he asked through clenched teeth.  
  
T.K didn't bother to explain anything to Taichi. He went back to his position outside Kari's room and sat there. Taichi stretched out his hand to Willis who took it grandly.  
  
"You should go put some ice on it…" Taichi said.  
  
Willis nodded, took one last angry look at T.K then walked off. As soon as Willis was out of sight, Taichi turned to T.K.  
  
"Explain!" he commanded.  
  
T.K kept quiet.  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
Silence…  
  
"T.K!!!!" he yelled.  
  
The rooms to the other rooms were swung open apart from Kari's. Curios eyes were peeping out, Taichi looked at them embarrassedly.  
  
"Don't worry, nothing to see, get back inside and get ready for breakfast…"  
  
The doors closed. Taichi turned to T.K for the second time.  
  
"Answer me, Takeru Takaishi!" he hissed.  
  
T.K again, continued to keep quiet.  
  
Taichi tried many more but then he had enough. He walked away shaking his head from side to side mumbling, "Stupid baka…" T.K stared out into space looking to no where in particular. A few minutes later the other girls walked out. Melody walked past T.K first. She was surprised when he glared at her hatefully. She shuddered and quickly power walked away from him. Her pink dress flowing gracefully behind her. Then it was Mimi and Makoto. They both were chattering happily but when they caught sight of T.K they stopped and walked up to him. T.K looked up and the look on his face was one they'd never seen before. They both backed away and ran to the dining room. Sakura and Yvette came out next. Sakura took one look at T.K then fixed her gaze onwards, she was scared looking at his face. Yvette on the other hand went up to T.K and she wasn't scared at all.  
  
"Why are you likes this, T.K?" she asked full of concern.  
  
T.K didn't answer her but he fixed his eyes on her. She stumbled back when she realized that he hated her. Tears were visible in her eyes.  
  
"Why T.K?" she asked sadly.  
  
T.K again didn't answer her, he continued to look at her hatefully.  
  
Yvette yet again understood him. She nodded her head. "Alright, alright…" she got up and went to join the others. T.K then went back to looking at….nothing. Kari didn't join the others for breakfast.  
  
When they were done with breakfast everybody just went and did their own separate things. Melody and Willis went to Mr. And Mrs. Williams Taichi, Mimi and Makoto went to take a walk. Sakura went out to the lake where she would meet up with Syaoran. T.K just continued to sit outside Kari's room and didn't move one inch.  
  
At noon Taichi, Mimi and Makoto came back and had tea, Mimi was brave enough to offer some to T.K who just looked at her with blank eyes. She left the tea and biscuit next to him and walked back to the others and shook her head sadly.  
  
"Taichi, Makoto…" Mimi whispered "He might be going insane…"  
  
The thought of that frightened the three of them. All three of them prayed that  
  
he wouldn't. Mimi talked about going back to Odaiba and Taichi talked patiently to T.K about going back. T.K didn't answer him nor uttered a movement. Makoto then said, "Just stay one more night then, it's holidays as well so there shouldn't be school to worry about…" Taichi and Mimi agreed.  
  
Kari and T.K didn't join for lunch. And by nighttime the both of them hadn't eaten anything. Everyone was at the dining table eating dinner. They were accompanied by Mr. And Mrs. Williams and Syaoran. Mrs. Williams was disgusted at the sight of T.K and Willis was enjoying every second Mrs. Williams uttered a comment about him. Taichi, Mimi, Makoto, Yvette, Melody, Sakura and Syaoran were all worried at the state T.K was in, and all except for Yvette were also worried about Kari not eating anything. Kari might get sick and T.K might go insane. They had delicious food to eat but all of them were too worried about T.K and Kari that they didn't enjoy it that much.  
  
"Why are you all looking at that … ugly and hideous boy?" Mrs. Williams asked while also giving a bad comment on T.K. That was like the 10th time she had said something bad about T.K. Willis grinned for the 10th time and looked provokingly at T.K. Mimi couldn't take it anymore. T.K was like a little brother to her.  
  
"That boy, Mrs. Williams…" she started.  
  
"Oh please call me Lynne, Mrs. Williams make me sound old…" she interrupted.  
  
Mimi who wasn't used to being interrupted said, "For one thing you are old… "  
  
Mrs. Williams flinched, "I beg your pardon?!?"  
  
"And the second thing is that boy happened to be Kari's best friend since she was small and had helped her for more than you can ever imagine!"  
  
Mrs. Williams looked at Melody and asked her, "Is this true?"  
  
Melody looked at Mrs. Williams than at Mimi. Mimi's eyes glistened dangerously.  
  
"Err- yes…he is, he's just not feeling well I guess so erm, please don't criticize him anymore, err—Lynne, because it hurts me to see my bestfriend being err- called many things that he is not but, I'm sure some of the things you said were true but if err- if you see him out of this state, your opinion of him will definitely change…" Melody explained.  
  
Mrs. Williams looked furious for a moment but then calmed down. Melody had called her Lynne, that made her feel younger.  
  
"Ok dear…" she said and fixed her hateful glare at Mimi.  
  
Mimi glared back at her and Mrs. Williams was surprised, she never met anyone in her life who had the guts to stand up to her. Mrs. Williams of course didn't know how stubborn Mimi was. Mrs. Williams was really annoyed at her that she said out loud, "What was I thinking when I thought that she was your fiancée Willis dear…"  
  
"Oh please!" Mimi said out which surprised Mrs. Williams more "Who would want to be your daughter in law?!"  
  
Mrs. Williams would have expected for Mimi to get up and leave the table so she could declare her victory but Mimi didn't budge, she sat challengingly across from her.  
  
"Well Kari here…" she started to say.  
  
"She fell in love with your son, not you! Why she's risking it for your son!!"  
  
"Why you little – "  
  
"Hey calm down!" Willis said out. "Everybody relax and enjoy dinner…"  
  
Mrs. Williams closed her mouth and got up from the chair. "I think I have eaten enough, come on Henry, let's go to the main building…"  
  
Mimi continued to look at her, a look of triumph on her face. Mrs. Williams didn't miss this and with her face she said, wait till next time. Mr. and Mrs. Williams walked out of the dorm.  
  
"Perfect!" Mimi exclaimed "Peace at last!"  
  
All the people apart from Willis chuckled. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Oh be quiet Willis and eat, we don't need another Williams to break out our peaceful dinner…"  
  
Willis looked down, his face was filled with pressure but he continued to eat all the same. A few minutes later Taichi got up and knocked on Kari's door, for the first time T.K showed interest in something.  
  
"Kari, open the door, you need to eat, you need your energy…"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Kari please, everyone are worried sick about you…"  
  
Still no answer.  
  
"Kari!!!" Taichi cried out while knocking loudly on the door but no one answered.  
  
Makoto got up and ran to her room and came back with keys in her hands.  
  
"I have a spare key to Kari's room…" she said and began to search for Kari's key.  
  
She finally found it and inserted they key to the keyhole. T.K to everyone's surprise got up and stood beside Makoto. The door unlocked and Taichi, Makoto and T.K went in. It was dark and oddly cold. Makoto found the switch to the light and clicked it on. The three of them gasped. Kari was no where to be found and then they saw the curtain flowing here and there, the window was opened ajar. There was no doubts, Kari had went out or worse ran away, through the window.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So what do you think about that? Please review this chapter for me, and I will try to get the new chapter out ASAP! Review for me!!  
  
~CherryBlossom~ 


	7. Against All Odds

Hii!! I know it had taken me sooo long but I've been extremely and I mean extremely busy! I got half yearly exams =(  
  
Anyway enjoy!! And review pleaseeeeeeeeeee!!!!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Against All Odds  
  
T.K, Makoto and Taichi looked dumbfounded, all thinking the same thing. Why would Kari want to run away and most importantly, where did she go? They all gazed around the room and realized that Kari had taken a small bag with a few of her belongings and money.  
  
Melody, Willis, Mimi, Sakura, Syaoran and Yvette all came in, all curious because of the silence. All of their mouths gaped open when they set their feet inside Kari's room.  
  
"Will someone tell me what happened here?" Mimi requested.  
  
No one wanted to admit the truth because Kari wasn't this type of girl.  
  
"I guess she ran away…" Makoto whispered.  
  
"Why? I mean there's no reason for her to run away…." Mimi replied looking both shocked and confused. "I don't see any reason why she would run away…!"  
  
"Neither do I…." Makoto said sadly.  
  
Willis was devastated. He couldn't help but to feel angry for no particular reason. He turned to T.K sharply, his eyes looked deadly. He grabbed T.K 's collar and lifted him off the ground with unbelievable strength, just like Kari, when they were mad, they just get stronger.  
  
T.K looked at him with no expression. He looked at Willis without flinching, without saying a word, without making the littlest sound. The unusual silence seemed to scare the others.  
  
Willis shook T.K as hard as he could until T.K 's eyes rolled around. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" He yelled out.  
  
T.K continued to look at him with silence, his eyes showing no expression. His poor behaviour irritated Willis even more.  
  
"ANSWER ME DAMNIT!" he flared. "WHAT IN THE GOD'S NAME DID YOU DO TO HER THAT WOULD MAKE HER WANT TO RUN AWAY?"  
  
Again, T.K answered him with silence. Willis let go of T.K 's collar defeated.  
  
"Everyone should just calm down," Sakura said quietly. "I'm sure Kari has a perfectly good reason for leaving…"  
  
"YES, I'm sure she does which he could answer!" Willis said while pointing his finger at T.K who stood on his ground, looking very lost.  
  
"Will you stop blaming everything on T.K?????!!!!" Mimi asked feeling very annoyed.  
  
"NO! Because I know he's responsible for Kari's disappearance!" Willis raged.  
  
Taichi had been quiet in all of this, looking out the window. His little sister, his beloved little sister was out, god knows where, without anyone to depend on, without anyone to protect her. Kari, I hope you can take good care of yourself until I find you…Taichi had blocked the noise and arguments around him, being the old leader of the digi-destined, he must think up of a plan. He sat himself on Kari's bed and gave it a thought. He thought and thought and no brilliant plan came to his mind. All he could think of was sending a search party to look for Kari. Taichi was about to tell everyone to break into groups when something surprised him, which also surprised the others.  
  
T.K slowly walked out of the room hearing no noise at all, although people inside the room were calling out his name.  
  
Yvette came running to him and grabbed hold of his left hand.  
  
"Where are you going T.K?" she asked.  
  
T.K didn't answer her but he shook his hand free from her hold and walked out of the dorm. He walked around the school with no destination until he decided to go to the place where he and Kari had slept peacefully in each other's arms. As soon as he got there he sat himself on the lush, green grass and sang to himself. (AN. This song was sung by Westlife and Mariah Carey…Against All Odds…)  
  
'How can I just let you walk away,  
  
Just let you leave without a trace,  
  
When I stand here, taking every breath with you, you…'  
  
You're the only one who really knew me at all…'  
  
'How can you just walk away from me?  
  
When all I can do is watch you leave,  
  
Coz we share the laughter and the pain,  
  
We even share the tears,  
  
You're the only who really knew me at all…'  
  
'So take a look at me at me now,  
  
There's just an empty space,  
  
There's nothing left here to remind me,  
  
Just a memory of a face,  
  
So take a look at me now…  
  
There's just an empty space,  
  
And you coming back to me,  
  
Is against the odds,  
  
And that's what I've got to face…..'  
  
'I wish I could just make you turn around,  
  
Turn around and see me cry,  
  
There's so much I need to see you,  
  
So many reasons why,  
  
You're the only one, who really knew me at all,'  
  
'So take a look at me now,  
  
There's just an empty space,  
  
There's nothing left here to remind me,  
  
Just a memory of a face,  
  
So take a look me at me now,  
  
There's just an empty space,  
  
But to wait for you, is all I can do,  
  
And that's what I've go to face,'  
  
'So take a good look at me now,  
  
Coz I'll still be standing here…,  
  
And you coming back to me  
  
Is against all odds,  
  
And that's the chance I've got to take….'  
  
'Take a look at me now….'  
  
Tears slithered down T.K 's cheeks. Where was Kari? Was he the reason she ran away? T.K wiped the tears away with his palm and started to laugh. It scared him to hear his laughter, he didn't recognized this laughter at all. But the laughter just came out and his sanity side just got wiped away. No sooner had he stopped laughing, he started to scream, scream for no particular reason. Then he started to talk to himself then finally he stopped and stared at the darkness around him. He moved his body forwards then backwards, crying and smiling at the same time. T.K was like that till the crack of dawn and at that time, he didn't know who he was anymore. To him, he was just a living human being, living on the grounds of the earth, for no reason. T.K didn't make any attempt in leaving that place and by lunch time his eyes were heavy but he forced them open.  
  
T.K started to laugh again and it was very loud. He was soon found by Mimi and Taichi. They both looked at him shockingly.  
  
He was laughing but he was crying, his face was wet, his eyes were sore from all the crying and yet, here he was, laughing.  
  
"T.K…" Mimi said gently as she hesitantly walked up to him. She tried to hug him but T.K looked at her and stood up. He backed away to a tree. His eyes widened with fear.  
  
"Stay away from me!" he cried out. "Don't take her away from me, she's mine! She belongs to me! Get away! Go away!!!"  
  
Mimi burst into tears and Taichi called the hospital, for the people who were insane. It saddened him to do this, to T.K. Once in Taichi's lifetime, T.K had become his little brother, someone for him to take care of, to protect him from the dangers and now, it seemed now, that he wasn't capable of doing that anymore. Neither was he capable of taking care of his little sister.  
  
Around an hour later, the others were with them, staring at T.K feeling all sorry for him. Some of them had made attempts in trying to talk to him and comfort him but it was no use, he always said things like, 'Get away from me' or ' don't take her away from me! She's mine!!'  
  
Later on Mimi couldn't stand to look at T.K like this, she excused herself and went back to the dorm. Around the evening the people from the hospital came and took T.K away. T.K put on a fight but he couldn't win against 5 strong males. Yvette cried her tears freely.  
  
At night time, everyone was gathered around the lounge room. Mr. and Mrs. Williams weren't invited. Yvette was the first one to say something.  
  
"It's all because of Kari that T.K is like this!" she cried out.  
  
"That's probably because T.K did something that caused Kari to run away!" Willis retorted.  
  
The room filled with silence, they could only hear the breathing of each other. Sakura without knowing it, tilted her head to Syaoran's shoulder that made him blush. Sakura cried silently and the tears rolled down and wetted Syaoran's green jacket. He wrapped his hand around Sakura's shoulders and kissed her hair then her forehead gently.  
  
"Everything is going to be ok…" he whispered.  
  
All of them needed to be comforted but whom from? Only Sakura was comforted and that was because Syaoran was there, a person that she had longed for so long. But the others were lost! Willis wanted Kari so bad and Melody wanted Willis so bad. Yvette wanted T.K and Makoto wanted Kari. Mimi was continuously praying a pray for T.K and Taichi was praying for Kari.  
  
*RinG RinG*  
  
Makoto got up and answered the phone.  
  
"Hello…?" she said to the mouthpiece.  
  
"Mmm, Hi…may I please talk to Taichi?"  
  
"May I please know who's speaking?"  
  
"It's Sora…"  
  
"Please wait while I get him…"  
  
"Ok…."  
  
Makoto walked back to the lounge room.  
  
"Tai, Sora is on the line and she wants to talk to you…"  
  
Taichi, surprised that Sora had called, walked to the corridor and answered it.  
  
"Hey, sup Sora?" he asked.  
  
"Tai…I've got really bad news for you…"  
  
"What about?"  
  
"It's about Kari…."  
  
"Kari? She's there? With you? Right now?"  
  
"No she's not with me…."  
  
"Then where is she?"  
  
"………………….."  
  
"Sora?!?"  
  
"Hello?" A male voice spoke up.  
  
"Matt?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Yeah it's me…."  
  
"What happened to Sora?"  
  
"She…she's crying right now, Tai…."  
  
"Why?" Taichi asked full of concern, "Is she ok?"  
  
"Yeah she's fine, but we called not to talk about her…"  
  
"Oh yeah, about Kari…? So where is she?" Taichi asked forgetting that Sora said that it was bad news about her.  
  
"Taichi…Kari….she…" Matt's voice trailed off there.  
  
"What Matt?" Taichi asked.  
  
Then all of a sudden the phone was snatched away from Taichi. Mimi grabbed hold of it. She was there the whole time and heard what Taichi had been saying.  
  
"Hey, Mims!!!" Taichi cried out.  
  
"Just what is going on?" Mimi asked as she put her hand to the mouthpiece.  
  
"They have some news on Kari…and both Sora and Matt couldn't say it, what ever it is…"  
  
"Who is on the line now?"  
  
"Matt"  
  
Mimi cleared her throat then she talked to the mouthpiece.  
  
"Yamato Ishida! You tell me right now what's going on! And if you don't tell me right now I wont tell you the bad news about T.K!!!!" she threatened.  
  
*………….*  
  
"No I'm not going to tell you what happened to T.K unless you tell me first…."  
  
*………….*  
  
"No tell me now Yamato Ishida!"  
  
*………….*  
  
"Fine I'll tell you first, I never realized you were this stubborn…., yes, yes, I'll tell you now…! And Yamato, it pains me to say this but…T.K had gone insane when Kari left…and he's in hospital right now…"  
  
"WHAT????"  
  
Mimi put her ear away from the phone, scared that her ear drums would pop. After a few seconds she talked again…  
  
"So what's your news?"  
  
"Oh my gosh, this is definitely not going to help T.K better," he said slowly choking in his tears. "How can we bare so much tragedy? Well …Kari……. she…..came back to Odaiba and…..it had been so long since she visited that she forgot where the crossings were……..and she…… she was just crossing when…..when a car…..came out of no where and crashed her…. She's in coma right now…. "  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So what do you think about it? Please review this for me…and I'll try to write the next chapter ASAP! But I have studying to do and everything…  
  
But please review!!  
  
~CherryBlossom~ 


	8. Innocent, Fragile Lovers

Hi Hi!! I finally got this chapter out! I really put a great deal of work into this chapter so I really hope you enjoy it! And also don't forget to review…I'm so happy coz I got extremely good mark for my English exam!! Hehehe. ..review and enjoy!!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Innocent, Fragile Lovers  
  
Mimi's face paled. Yes why did they have to bare so much tragedy?  
  
"O…ok Matt, I'll be there…soon…"  
  
*Click*  
  
"So what was it?" Taichi asked.  
  
To his surprise Mimi bawled like a baby and started to cry. He grabbed her and held her close to him. She cried on his shoulder asking herself millions of questions. Why? Why? Why? Was the world against T.K's and Kari's happiness? The innocent hazelnut eyes that belonged to Mimi were crying with desolation.  
  
Now Kari couldn't visit T.K and make him better…making him sane again. Now Kari would not have any support from her loved one. Everything right now was just wrong, so wrong, how can their fate turned so….unbalanced?  
  
Taichi kissed Mimi's forehead saying comforting words not knowing that he would need those comforting words later on. He looked down on her, his eyes filled with concern.  
  
"Mims…you have to tell me…" he said.  
  
Mimi shook her head from side to side vigorously. "No…I can't….!"  
  
"Why Mims, if it's about Kari then I have to know…please Mimi…" Taichi pleaded.  
  
"No…I…can't….I just….can't….." Mimi said her stubbornness melting.  
  
"Oh come on Mims, I want to know what made you cry, and I would never know if you don't tell me, come on Mims, get yourself together and tell me, then maybe, together we can work what ever it is, through!"  
  
Mimi was silent for a while. Her face was deep in thought, her index finger on the edge of her lips.  
  
"And anyway, your cheerful face doesn't suit your tears…." Taichi said as he wiped away the tears away from Mimi's cheeks. (AN. And nooo Taichi is not dating Mimi)  
  
"Thanks Taichi…I need it that…" she said, just above a whisper, but loud enough for Taichi to hear.  
  
"Now, why don't you go to the bathroom and freshen up? I'll be waiting for you in the lounge room…"  
  
Mimi nodded and walked away from Taichi to the bathroom, every step she took, she took it with great effort. She doesn't seem to be able to balance properly.  
  
What's up with this world? She questioned herself which made her head dizzy. She entered the bathroom and turned the tap on. She splashed cold, icy water on her face then wiped her face slowly with a pink, fluffy towel. Mimi gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Sad how everything turned out, she said in her thoughts, I don't see any reason why Kari and T.K deserved their fate…Mimi brushed her hair slowly then straightened her clothes out. She took one last look at the mirror before she went out of the bathroom, she brazed herself to tell Taichi for she knew, Taichi…would do anything to get his little sister well.  
  
Mimi walked to the lounge room, although it looked like she was gliding either than walking. Her footsteps did not echo, she didn't make any noise, people were startled when she entered. Taichi moved over to the left to give room for Mimi to sit on. She sat there nervously. Even though her face was cleaned from the tears, her eyes shone with fear, anguish and anxiety. Her body felt weak next to Taichi, as if Mimi could collapse any second.  
  
"Mims, don't make us more curios than we already are…" Taichi said softly.  
  
Mimi took a deep nervous breath. She looked around at all of her friends and felt the tear running along her yielding cheeks.  
  
"Tai…I'm so sorry…" she said.  
  
"Sorry for what?" Taichi asked, puzzled.  
  
"Tai…Kari…she…got crashed by…by a car in Odaiba and … she's in coma, in the critical unit…" Mimi choked out.  
  
It took a minute or so before everything sunk in into that big head of Tai's. Everyone gasped and Willis choked.  
  
"Are….are they sure that that's Kari?" Makoto asked, afraid of the reality.  
  
"I think so, I mean….who could mistake those ruby eyes? Or that sleek brown hair? Who could mistake her red lips?" Mimi asked as more glossy tears slid down her cheeks.  
  
Taichi got up and walked away from everyone, the others watched him anxiously. Taichi faced the window and that was where he let his tears flowed down. He failed, failed to be a fine brother who could watch out for his sister, he failed to be a brother who can take care of his sister, he failed to be any kind of brother.  
  
Mimi walked up to him and tenderly rested her palm on his shoulder.  
  
"Taichi, let's go back to Odaiba ok? T.K is there as well isn't he? We could visit each of their hospital regularly…" Mimi reasoned.  
  
Taichi nodded slightly, keeping the pain and agony inside him. "Ye..ah.."  
  
"And for the time being, let's just pray for T.K and Kari so they can get through this ordeal…" Mimi said faintly.  
  
Taichi nodded.  
  
Mimi sauntered to the others and broke the news to them.  
  
"Taichi and I are going back to Odaiba this evening, we need to see how Kari is doing, it's been a pleasure being here with you, thank you for giving so much hospitality…"  
  
"It's been a pleasure…" Sakura said, she smiled through her teary face.  
  
"Mmm…Mimi?…" said Makoto.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would it be ok if I come with you to Odaiba? I really want to see how Kari is doing, she's been such a good friend to me, and I want to be there for her…"  
  
Mimi looked back at Taichi.  
  
"What do you say Tai?" she asked.  
  
"Sure why not?" he croaked.  
  
Makoto's face beamed. "I'll get packing now…"  
  
Mimi nodded. "Erm, Yvette, what are you planning to do?"  
  
"I…I'll go back to my village up at the mountains, I know now that I can't win T.K's love, Kari already filled his heart, I … I guess I should leave him alone, he actually told me the morning before he ran away that Kari was his angel, his one and only love, me being so foolish didn't want to believe it, T.K was…just…like a dream come true, I was hoping that he actually would stay with me but he ran off…and even then, I convinced myself selfishly that T.K only loves me that's why I ran after him…do me a favour Mimi? Tell him I send my regards and apologize to Kari for me…" Yvette said sadly.  
  
"Yes, of course I will…"  
  
Yvette smiled in gratitude. "Good luck with everything Mimi…"  
  
Mimi hugged Yvette comfortingly.  
  
"Mimi…" Taichi called out.  
  
"Yup?"  
  
"Get packing…."  
  
"Oh ok…"  
  
~*Yamato*~  
  
Yamato drove up to the hospital that T.K was in. His eyes were clouded with tears. He found out without Mimi telling him, which hospital T.K was in. Yamato parked his car, then strolled over inside. This hospital gave him the creeps, there were people screaming, people in strait jackets, just…weird. Yamato went to the receptionist desk and asked for a 'Takaishi'.  
  
"Yes, he's inside room 12, you just walk through the main corridor then turn left you'll see the room number then…" the plump lady smiled kindly.  
  
"Is he in serious medical treatment?" Yamato asked.  
  
"I'm not so sure, but he's not in a fatal condition nor is he is a good condition, he's just lost right now, if you see the doctor I'm sure you will get better explanations…" she said.  
  
"Oh ok, thanks Ma'am" Yamato said.  
  
Yamato stride down the main corridor then he turned left, sure enough he found 12 printed on an angelic white door. He pushed it open and saw T.K sitting down in a corner looking madly.  
  
"T.K…?" Yamato whispered.  
  
T.K didn't do anything to acknowledge his presence. T.K rocked back and forwards, back and forwards. The sight of this saddened Yamato.  
  
"T.K…" he said again as he urged forward.  
  
"How can you just walk away from me? When all I can do is watch you leave?" T.K said in a mad tone.  
  
"T.K…" Yamato said as he squatted behind T.K. He placed his hand on his shoulder soothingly.  
  
"Kari…" T.K said, this time tears trickled down his soft cheeks.  
  
"Yes T.K, Kari needs you, please get better T.K, then you'll get out of this place and then you and Kari can be together again…just like the old times…"  
  
"Kari?" T.K asked as he frowned. And then he started to laugh.  
  
"T.K…please stop it! You need to get better, and I mean now!" Yamato cried out even though he knew it was pointless.  
  
"Kari…Kari…Kari…Kari…" T.K chanted as though 'Kari' was a song.  
  
Yamato's cell phone then rang. He answered it quickly.  
  
"What is it?" he said.  
  
"Matt are you ok?"  
  
"Oh Mims, yeah I'm fine…"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes…"  
  
"Well Taichi, Makoto and I are on our way back to Odaiba…but first of all we need you to give us the location where Kari is …"  
  
"Odaiba's Conurbation Hospital, she is of course in the critical unit of the hospital…" Yamato said.  
  
"Yeah of course…"  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Matt are you sure you're ok?"  
  
If your brother was in an insanity hospital and that he was no where near recovery, would you think that you're ok?  
  
"Mims, I have to go ok? Call me back later…"  
  
"But wait – "  
  
*Click*  
  
Yamato covered his face with his hand, trying to block the reality but T.K's continuous chanting of 'Kari' brought him back. Yamato grabbed his brother's weak shoulders and shook it fervidly.  
  
"You have to get better T.K! Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month but today!! Today you understand me? What about if Kari dies T.K? What if she dies today? What would you do when the shocking reality hits you? You have to get better before it's too late! She's in a very critical care right now T.K, and I realized you are too but…" Yamato looked at his younger brother who seemed very lost.  
  
"T.K SHE CAN DIE FOR GOODNESS SAKE!! YOU HAVE TO GET BETTER FOR HER…!" He yelled out.  
  
T.K looked at him with distressing eyes.  
  
"Kari?" he asked.  
  
"Yes T.K! Kari!! She … she might leave this world T.K, oh she might! You need to be beside her! Telling her to be stronger and even if she can't handle it, at least you're there bidding goodbye, and you can hear her last words and after that, she'll be waiting for you, her most loved one, up in heaven…"  
  
T.K looked at his brother again.  
  
"Kari…"  
  
"T.K say something else apart from her name!!!" Yamato cried out depressed. "Say my name! Or the fact that you're well and that you can come home…"  
  
"………….."  
  
"She loves you T.K, Kari loves you…"  
  
"…………"  
  
Yamato got up, defeated, and sighed deeply. He tried, really he tried.  
  
"I'll come back tomorrow and see how you're doing and maybe I'll bring something that could make you sane again…"  
  
Yamato pivoted and walked to the door. He opened it ajar and looked at his brother again. It pained him to see T.K like this, or to see Kari lying on a hospital bed with wires connecting here and there. Yamato closed his eyes and let the tears of melancholy roll down. He closed the door slowly.  
  
As soon as Yamato went away T.K started crying.  
  
"Love?..." he wondered aloud.  
  
~*Mimi, Taichi and Makoto*~  
  
The three of them ran as fast as they could to Kari's room. They weren't allowed to go in there, they were seeing her through the glass window. The sight of Kari brought tears to each of their eyes.  
  
"Tai?" A deep voice boomed from behind.  
  
Taichi turned around at the mention of his name. There stood a generous looking man with flowing blue hair. He had square gleaming glasses and those black eyes looked with apprehension.  
  
"Joe!" Taichi cried out.  
  
Mimi and Makoto turned. Mimi grinned widely while Makoto just smiled. Makoto doesn't really know who this man was but she have had seen his pictures in Kari's photo album.  
  
"Joe … " Mimi said.  
  
"Hi Tai, hi Mims…and … "  
  
"Makoto…" Makoto said.  
  
"Yes, Makoto, hello to you too…"  
  
"Hi…"  
  
"Joe!" Taichi said getting to the point. "Is Kari going to be ok?"  
  
Joe looked at Tai with awkwardness. This scared the other three.  
  
"Tai, I'm no psychic, your sister is under fatal condition and she's getting the best treatment there is…"  
  
"And?"  
  
"Well, none of the doctors here knows what's going to happen to her, she had some of her bones broken and her head was damaged pretty badly, even if she gets well you have to be patient while she learns back how to walk…"  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"No, if she gets better it is more likely that she'll suffer memory loss, although I'm not for sure…"  
  
"Memory loss? You must be joking! She would not remember me? Or the others? Not even Gatomon?" Taichi asked bewilderedly.  
  
"I suppose so Taichi but like I said before, I'm not for sure…"  
  
"Oh gawd this can't be happening…" Mimi moaned.  
  
"Can we at least go in and talk to her? Even though she's not conscious, she might somewhat be able to hear us…" Makoto asked.  
  
Joe thought about it. "Yeah but for 10 minutes only…and you have to take turns in going in…"  
  
"What? Take turns for 10 minutes? Can't you give it 10 minutes each?" Mimi questioned.  
  
"No Mimi, I'm sorry, but rules are rules…"  
  
"Can't you just break this one little rule…?" Mimi pleaded.  
  
"Certainly not!!"  
  
"I can't believe you wouldn't do this for a friend…"  
  
"Mims, I want to I really do, but I just got appointed here and you know how hard it was for me to get in here, so please, I don't want to do anything that could endanger my courier…"  
  
"Your courier is important than your friends?"  
  
"Mims – "  
  
"No don't fight anymore! We're wasting our time…!" Makoto stated "We just have to use the most of it…"  
  
"You guys can go in…" Taichi said and with that he walked away looking as if a heavy weight was on his shoulders.  
  
"Wait Tai - !" Mimi cried out and she was about to go after him but Makoto grabbed her hand. "What?" Mimi asked looking annoyed.  
  
"Let him be…" she said softly.  
  
"I mean why? I don't understand…his sister is very sick and she might even … die … and yet he wouldn't even want to look in and talk to her?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Mimi, I'm sure he couldn't bare looking at his fragile, precious sister who might die, he just want to keep Kari's memory as the happy and go-going little girl who used to shone with happiness, cheerfulness and joyfulness… "Makoto explained.  
  
"Does…does this mean that Kari is going to die?" Mimi asked terrified at the prospective of it.  
  
"I'm not sure…I'm no doctor you know…" Makoto replied solemnly, her smooth black hair covering one part of her face.  
  
There was deep silence for a few seconds.  
  
"Joe…" Makoto said "I would like to go in first, I just go in right? I don't need any special passes?"  
  
"No, just go through that door…" Joe said as he pointed to the stiff door on the right side of them.  
  
"I'll be back in 5 minutes, Mimi…"  
  
"Ok…although 5 minutes isn't really worth it…" Mimi said as she shot an infuriated look at Joe who backed away.  
  
"But hey, at least it's something…" Makoto said as she shrugged. She quickly walked in to the room and sat on a purple, leathery chair next to Kari's bed.  
  
Joe looked at Mimi. "Why don't you be more like her? Optimistic…."  
  
"Don't you have work to do?" Mimi snapped with a bitter taste in her mouth.  
  
"Yeah, don't forget 5 minutes each…" and with that Joe left Mimi alone.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Makoto grabbed hold of her best friend's limp hand. She squeezed it tightly as she gazed into that precious face.  
  
"Kari…I know you might not be able to hear me…but…please get better…you need to Kari, you were the first person that was kind to me…without you, I would have lack of confidence to do anything, Kari…do you also know that T.K is insane? Just because you ran away…? He is devastated Kari, he's also in critical condition, you need to get up and get well…you need to visit T.K and make everything well again, you need too! And Kari even if you might feel that you can't fight this….whatever it is, believe in yourself because we certainly believe in you…."  
  
"Don't die Kari, it's not your time, you're too young to die…remember the talk we had? About families? You said you wanted one, well Kari if you die now you wont live that memorable experience, don't you want to experience it? Our children can be best friends, just like what we are now…Kari…do you realize that if you die, you'll be taking T.K with you? Do you Kari, do you? Sure he might still be on Earth, his physical self is, but his spiritual self you will have taken…he would be nothing Kari, nothing!! You surely wouldn't want that to happen…you would want T.K to be lively just like he used to be…but in order for that, you have to get better and go and meet him…"  
  
Makoto cupped her hands in desolation as the tears burned behind her eyelids. When will she ever see the happiness in Kari's eyes again? The wonders of life, the magical and enchanting looks? Kari please get well, I need you, T.K need you, your brother need you, everyone needs you!  
  
Suddenly Makoto heard 'tap, tap, tap' on the glass window. Mimi was looking in at her, pointing swiftly at her silvery shiny wrist watch. Makoto nodded and slowly she got up from the chair, her scrawny legs supporting her body weight. She lightly bent down and placed a considerate kiss on Kari's cheek. Makoto stiffly walked out of the room.  
  
Mimi saw all the sadness and twinges in Makoto's eyes. Mimi gave her a reassuring smile then she walked in into Kari's room. Just like Makoto did, Mimi sat on the purple chair next to Kari's bed and held her hand.  
  
"Kari…I failed to take care of you…since our adventures in the digital world, the older digi – destines had sworn to always take good care of our 'delicate juvenile ones' but it looked like all of us had failed, you in a coma, T.K going insane, it was just…all hard to believe Kari… I know you've grown up into a mature lady and maybe the others and I let our guards down a little bit and look where it had gotten you, look where it had gotten T.K… to us you're still the youngest and so is T.K… not Cody, not Davis but you two…"  
  
"Kari if the others and I lost you and lost T.K as well we will never forgive ourselves, you have to wake up Kari and bring the sunshine back to everyone's life… Taichi is full – on depressed and so is Makoto, the agony and pain inside me is beyond words, Sora was crying over the phone, Matt was speechless and Joe…he's doing the best he can to get you well… Kari everyone is doing the best they can to get you better and now it's your turn to help yourself… fight what ever it is off, you need to get well…you 'must'…"  
  
"Do you know how lonely it would be like if you left us? And to think that we didn't get to spend much time together, hanging out… you're like a little sister to me Kari, and I regret for not sharing things with you, I regret that I wasn't the one who tells you how to wear make up, everyone regrets for not showing you to do the things that we were all best at… Sora probably regretted for not showing you how to be a florist or a cook, Matt probably regretted for not teaching you how to play the guitar, Izzy probably regretted for not giving you more lectures on something technological, Joe probably regretted for not hiring you to help out in the hospital and T.K….T.K… he probably regretted everything that he hadn't done with you…"  
  
"Kari…do you realize how much we all care for you… we love you with all our hearts, don't ever leave us ok…?"  
  
Mimi was answered by a slight squeeze from Kari's hand. Mimi smiled happily. Sure Kari might suffer memory loss, but they can always make her remember everything again…someday. Mimi felt somebody tapping her shoulder. She turned around to find a stern looking nurse with amber, hair that was tied into a neat, tight bun. Her eyes were the colour of the ocean and it was looking severely at Mimi.  
  
"You've been here long enough, out!" the nurse commanded pointing her long index finger to the exit.  
  
Mimi quickly kissed Kari's hand then walked with arrogance out of the room.  
  
"What's with the 'superior' look?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Just to show that old hag something…."  
  
Makoto's eyebrows raised confusedly.  
  
"Never mind…" Mimi said with her hand waving up and down.  
  
They both walked slowly out of the hospital looking as if some one had destroyed their world.  
  
~*Taichi*~  
  
Taichi brushed the grass with his shoes, his two hands inside his pockets. He remembered everything he had done with his sister… all the memories they had together. Sure, he might had been a little bit mean and hard at times, sure he hadn't really told her that he cared deeply about her but deep down … he loves his sister with all his heart. No one could replace Kari's place as his sister, no one…and he meant no one!  
  
"Tai is that you?" A sweet voice spoke up from behind.  
  
Taichi turned around.  
  
"Oh hi Sora… "He said.  
  
"Taichi-Kun are you ok?" she asked with deep worry.  
  
"Yeah… I'm just fine… " Tai replied, trying to sound normal but the he choked on his words and the tears flowed down his cheeks.  
  
Sora came up to him and hugged him with sympathy and love. She was devoted to him and she would do what ever it took to get him all happy again. She caressed his cheeks slowly, then she placed her mild lips on his. It sent comfort and warmth through Taichi's body and he returned her kiss with deep affection. They parted after a few minutes.  
  
"Tai…don't cry ok? Everything is going to be fine, Kari is going to get out of her coma and T.K will be fine again… and then we'll all be happy again… just like the old times…" Sora believed.  
  
"Yeah… the old times…" he said doubting his girlfriend's words.  
  
"Tai you have to have more hope…God wouldn't take away Kari or T.K…they're too innocent…"  
  
"And that is why He would want to take them since they were too fragile and innocent … they weren't made for this world, they deserved a better place… and so they say… "  
  
"No Tai, you said that! No one else has that opinion, I admit that Kari and T.K are fragile and innocent but no one would take them away and they will be together again…"  
  
"People have different opinions… "Taichi said coolly.  
  
"Taichi Yagami! You have to have more faith! Don't dread for the worst for it might happen…keep hoping that Kari and T.K will get better and since all of us are wishing for Kari and T.K to get better, I have no doubt that our wish will be fulfilled."  
  
Silence followed after this.  
  
"You're right, Sora…you're right…I'm sorry I'd been a jerk…I just…can't stand this, didn't know that things will turn this way…"  
  
Sora's face softened. She hugged him closely, placing her head on his chest.  
  
"Everything is going to be alright…they'll survive, I know they will… they're strong Tai…very strong…sooner or later they will be better…"  
  
~Next Day~  
  
Yamato went back to the mental hospital to visit his brother and with him he brought something that he hoped, could make T.K well again. He traced back his steps from yesterday to get him to T.K's room. He opened the door gradually and stepped in. T.K wasn't any better than he was yesterday. He was chanting the alphabet but he added bits to it.  
  
"A, b, c, d, e, f, g, why won't she ever love me? H, I , j , k , l , m , n, o, p, doesn't any one else see? Q, r, s, t, u, v…how great my love for is for she…"  
  
And T.K continued, and continued to chant this all over again.  
  
"T.K…"  
  
T.K didn't do anything to acknowledge his presence just like the day before.  
  
"I brought something that I hope, will help you to get better… "  
  
Out of Matt's black jacket, he got out a photo of Kari, with her hair flowing graciously behind her, her ruby red eyes sparkling with purity and virtue. Her cherry red, lips were curved into a glorious smile and her pink, summer dress blew on the sides. Matt showed T.K this picture and T.K suddenly stopped his chants.  
  
He touched Kari's face with the tip of his fingers and it seemed like T.K was back to his old self… but as quick as his sane had come, his insanity came back.  
  
"1x2 is 2, 2x2 is 4, 3x2 is 6 …. " T.K started to say.  
  
Matt gave out a frustrated sigh when the door to T.K's room was opened. A woman with short russet hair and cerulean blue eyes walked in. She wore a white, flowing jacket that reached her knees. Inside that she wore a knee- length black skirt and a sallow blouse. She walked in with importance and stopped when she saw Matt.  
  
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked callously.  
  
"I'm Yamato Ishida and I'm visiting my little brother…" he answered coolly.  
  
She looked at him with frosty eyes. Matt shuddered, why in the name of the world, was this woman was so cold towards him.  
  
"Funny, you don't have the same last name…" she replied.  
  
Anger bolted inside Matt, what right did this woman to know his and T.K's past?  
  
"It is none of your business…" Matt said with an icy tone that mirrored the woman's.  
  
"Actually it is since I'm T.K's psychiatrist" she said with haughtiness.  
  
"My parents split up when we were young, and so I went with my dad and T.K went with my mum, that's the reason why we have different last names…satisfied?"  
  
She smiled stiffly at him.  
  
"I'm Doctor Miyuki Husaty…"  
  
Matt nodded in reply.  
  
"Let me just tell you something Mr. Ishida…your brother needs to go to Tomoeda to seek better treatment…" she explained.  
  
"Is my brother's condition that' bad that you can't give him the treatment here?"  
  
"We need a team of professional psychiatrist for him and the closest town for that is Tomoeda…"  
  
"But Kari…"  
  
"Kari?"  
  
"Never mind…"  
  
"You have to tell me everything there is about T.K…"  
  
"Well…"  
  
~*Kari*~  
  
Mimi, Makoto, Taichi, Sora, Davis, Yolei, Cody, Ken, and Izzy looked at Kari from the window glass. Sadness and woe on their faces.  
  
"Where is Willis?" Davis asked. "Shouldn't he be here for his fiancée?"  
  
"He's on his way with Melody, Sakura and Syaoran…" Makoto answered.  
  
Silence.  
  
Joe came out of one of the rooms near Kari's and walked up to the others.  
  
"You may go in now…" he said.  
  
The other rushed in and stood all around Kari's room thought it was crowded. Taichi held on to Kari's hand and kissed it gently with so much brotherly love.  
  
"Joe…" Mimi started to say. "When do you think Kari will gain her consciousness?"  
  
"I'm not sure Mimi, it's unpredictable, she could gain it today for all we know…"  
  
As if Joe's words were magical, Kari's eyes fluttered open although it was merely impossible for her to gain consciousness in her critical condition. The others looked at her tentatively.  
  
Kari looked questioningly at the people around her and just before she went unconscious again, she said.  
  
"Who are you all?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So what do you think of that? Did you enjoyed it? Please review it! and don't ever hesitate to email me and if it's a fail deliver to Aishiteru_Syaoran@hotmail.com it must be that my inbox is full…well if that happens email me at mi5s_hikari@hotmail.com  
  
Please review!  
  
Ja Ne! 


	9. A Past With Much Pain

Hi Hi! Yup! I had time to do this…and I really hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to review!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 9  
  
A Past With Such Pain  
  
Kari's unexpected and sudden consciousness and words, startled and gave the others heavy hearts. How could they cope with living if the gracious, vulnerable Kari couldn't remember them? Joe had hinted to them about this, and yet, they didn't thought that it was such an outrageous matter, their optimism side had told each of them, that they could always make Kari remember again. But now that they were living the tragedy, the reality hit them. It would take months and months to make Kari remember everything! She had played an important role in everyone's life, how could she remember everything?!  
  
The room was filled with heavy silence while everyone tried to wash that memory away, but it was merely impossible.  
  
"Joe…" Davis said slowly. "She can recover right? We can make her remember again right?" A note of desperation was in his voice.  
  
Joe looked thoughtful, "Yes…I'm pretty sure she can recover, all of you have to try really hard to help her gain her memory…."  
  
"Of course!" Makoto said, "We'll do what ever it takes…."  
  
"Perfect then…" Joe said, "The next time she regain her consciousness, tell her how great she was, tell her all the memories you had with her, and bit by bit she'll remember…hopefully everything…"  
  
The others nodded with hope. Surely things would work out. One by one they slipped out of Kari's 'recovery' room. Tai gave a peck on Kari's cheeks then strolled over to join the others. No sooner had they gotten out, Willis, Melody, Sakura and Syaoran arrived.  
  
"How is she?" Sakura asked with great curiousity and concern.  
  
"Her condition is stabilizing but unfortunately she is suffering memory loss…" Joe answered professionally.  
  
Melody, Sakura and Syaoran gasped and Willis appeared so shocked, it looked like he could faint.  
  
"She couldn't be! She can't! How am I going to get married to her if she's like this?"  
  
Melody felt hurt. Inside her heart, she longed for Willis to love her, to cherish her, to nourish her with kisses and affection. No one cared for her, no one loved her, even her Mother and her Step Father. Her parents had always given all of their attention if not to her step brother, then to her step younger sister. Her step dad had brought a son to her Mum's house and since then she was like a child that wasn't meant to be there, a child that they didn't want, an invisible child. Melody's mum now loathed the sight of her. She had cried many nights, wetting her pillow asking herself, 'Wasn't I the one who made them the proudest? Didn't I achieve the best and brought respect to the family name? Wasn't I the one who always get good grades and always get appointed to go to the advance classes? I'm going to be the valedictorian for my class as soon as we graduate, didn't I make them proud? Didn't I? Didn't I?' Tears clouded her eyes but everyone assumed she was crying for Kari, but in truth, she was pitying herself.  
  
"Willis calm down!" Davis cried out who had been Willis's classmate. "She'll recover! We have to make her remember! And you, screaming about wouldn't help!"  
  
"But…but…" Willis was lost for words, he wanted Kari to be well again, wanted everything to go back to the way it was.  
  
All of a sudden Mimi's cell phone rang, she answered it leisurely. Her sad expression turned into a serious and shocked one.  
  
"What???" she half-screamed. "But, they can't do that! We're also talking about Kari's sake here!"  
  
-  
  
"Yes I know, I want the best one there is too but how can Kari remember, then?"  
  
-  
  
"Listen to me! That's a far place! How can we reach you? And more importantly, how will Kari reach you?"  
  
-  
  
"I know that, that is in Japan! But you know the group can't split in half…- "  
  
-  
  
"No, you can't just go by yourself! And you know that if the group splits Kari wouldn't recover as well and as far as I'm concerned he can't recover without Kari!"  
  
-  
  
"No! The best treatment is from Kari, you have to postpone it till Kari remembers…"  
  
-  
  
"Err—a few months?"  
  
*Mimi drew the phone away from her ear as the person on the other line bellowed at her, she rubbed her ears briskly.*  
  
"But – wait!! Hear me out!"  
  
-  
  
"You have to reason a tiny bit here, Tomoeda is a far place, the distance is too far apart! And you know the best medicine for him is Kari! And also he needs each of us too! To give him support and Kari needs that too!"  
  
-  
  
"Yes, that's true, but if T.K is not here she wouldn't remember him at all…"  
  
-  
  
"Fine, have it your way, I'm just trying to give you the best suggestion here, just trying so everything could work out fine…but don't go unless I'm there to bid goodbye…"  
  
-  
  
"Ok…bye…"  
  
*Click*  
  
"Who was it?" Tai asked.  
  
"The great Yamato Ishida!" Mimi said with full sarcasm.  
  
"What is he planning to do?" Sora asked.  
  
"Well l don't have the vaguest idea where to begin but I'll start from the beginning…" Mimi said cynically, hoping the others would laugh before she'd spill the news. When no one did she continued anyway. "Matt talked to T.K's psychiatrist and she said that the best way to get T.K better is to go to Tomoeda, and you all know that, that's a far place…"  
  
"Er- that's my home town…" Sakura said softly.  
  
"O? well…maybe you can go back there and maybe keep an eye out for T.K…but anyway moving on… I was trying to say that Kari is the best medicine for T.K but he wouldn't listen to me! And so they're leaving Odaiba today for Tomoeda…"  
  
The others were appalled. T.K in one part of Japan? While Kari in the other part of Japan? The idea horrified all of them apart from Willis who didn't know anything about Kari's and T.K's moments together.  
  
"I'll go back with them then…" Sakura said. "I haven't visited Tomoyo, Eriol, Chiharu, Naoko, Rika, Yamazaki, onni-chan, Yue-san, Kero-chan and my dad in a while now…"  
  
The others nodded and Syaoran decided to accompany Sakura but then, Mimi slapped herself on the forehead.  
  
"Ah curse this!"  
  
"What Mimi?"  
  
"I forgot to tell you, the location at where T.K and Matt will soon be, is furtive, which means it's secretive, we wont ever see them again unless T.K recovers…and gawd how hard would it be too look for them!"  
  
Sakura looked dumb-struck and so did the others.  
  
"Wha…what…? Why is everything so complicated now?" Tai asked bitterly.  
  
"This is impossible…" Izzy muttered under his breath.  
  
"Well…Koushiro Izumi, live the facts! This is the reality! And we can't do a damn thing to stop it…" Mimi said coldly for no apparent reason.  
  
"Geez Mims, why you're so cold?"  
  
"Oh I'm sorry!" she cried. "I'm just a little bit frustrated here…"  
  
Then Mimi broke into tears. Izzy walked up to her and hugged her comfortingly.  
  
"There, there Mims, everyone is feeling frustrated, but we have to accept what life gives us, even if it's bad, we have to work it through, we can't just always expect good things in our lives, although that would be a match- made in heaven…"  
  
"I know…I know…" Mimi said quietly.  
  
"Now, why don't we just go and bid our farewells to Matt and T.K?" Izzy asked gently.  
  
"Yeah…ok…they're in the airport though…ah… I mean…they're on their way to the airport…."  
  
"Let's go then!" Tai exclaimed.  
  
"I'll…I'll wait here…" Willis said as he looked at Kari's room, longing for Kari to wake up and be in his arms. "And plus, the sight of me…might even make T.K more insane…"  
  
Willis smiled weakly.  
  
Mimi asked herself. Did Willis finally come into his senses and realized all the wrong things he had done to T.K? Was he apologizing to us? Mimi decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.  
  
"You just take care of yourself ok?" Mimi said halfheartedly.  
  
"Yes of course…"  
  
"I think I'll stay here and keep Willis company … it sure can get lonely in a hospital as big as this one…" said Melody.  
  
Mimi nodded.  
  
"I guess, we'll see in you in a while…"  
  
"Ok…bye!"  
  
The others stalked off leaving Melody and Willis alone. A few seconds later the others were out of sight. Melody slumped herself on a soft, blue chair. Then Willis followed suit, he sat next to Melody.  
  
*Silence*  
  
"Willis…" Melody murmured.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Do you…"  
  
"Do I?"  
  
"Do you…do you…love…"  
  
"Do I love…?"  
  
"Do you…do you love me?"  
  
What ever Willis was expecting, it wasn't this. He nearly fell of his seat. His eyes were filled with bewilderment.  
  
"What ever are you talking about, Melody? Do you know how ridiculous you sound…?"  
  
Anger filled Melody's beautiful, elegant face as she stood up. "HOW DO I SOUND RIDICULOUS?" she flared.  
  
Willis looked around, looking whether people were around. To his relief there wasn't anyone.  
  
"Melody, calm down…"  
  
"NO I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!"  
  
"Melody…" Willis pleaded.  
  
"ANSWER ME WILLIS!"  
  
"Melody, how can I love you, when I love Kari? She's my world, you know that….I love her more than anything else…"  
  
"But how can you love someone who doesn't love you?" she asked, calming down a little bit.  
  
"What do you mean?" Willis asked puzzled.  
  
"Goodness Willis! Don't you realize that Kari doesn't love you in the way she used too? Can't you see it in her eyes? She used to look at you with so much devotion and affection, but now, when ever she looks at you, there was just a blank expression…all those love that she used to have for you, has transferred to T.K…T.K is the one she loves…with all of her heart, every time she looks at him, there was just this, ray of light….light of love…"  
  
Willis stared at her, with emptiness in his eyes.  
  
"Well Melody, right now T.K is insane, and Kari is suffering memory loss…and I'm going to be by Kari's side, and T.K wont, she wouldn't remember T.K, but she'll remember me, I'll shower her with gifts and affection and she'll grow to love me, and hopefully, the next time she sees T.K she would just look at him, for nothing more than a friend, she would have forgotten all the love that she used to have for him…I'm going to be the only one who fulfill her life, then we'll live happily ever after…"  
  
Melody looked at Willis as though he was someone that she hadn't met before.  
  
"Screw you Willis…"  
  
And with that Melody walked away from Willis and out of the building. She went to a hotel and hired a room. She locked herself in the room crying her eyes out.  
  
"No one ever loves me, no one! Not one person in this world care on how I feel, haven't I done enough to make them love me and accept me? Haven't I? Haven't I made my family proud…?"  
  
Melody cried in the midst of her past. A past that still haunted her in her dreams, a past that she couldn't wash away.  
  
~*Flash Back*~  
  
"Mama! Mama!" she had yelled out.  
  
"What is it?" A lady with tan, blonde hair and sea green eyes, asked annoyed.  
  
"I just got full marks for my History exam! And my teacher said I could advance to the top class in my grade…"  
  
"Excellent…" she said stiffly, and nothing more.  
  
Melody had waited for her mother to give her some praises, just like she always did when her brother had done something 'good' for a change. But her mother didn't say anything more. She couldn't stand it anymore.  
  
"Is that all you can say to me? Aren't you proud of me?" she asked with firmness in her voice.  
  
Melody's mother had turned her cold, sharp eyes at her. "HOW DARE YOU ASK ME SUCH QUESTION WITH SUCH BITTERNESS IN YOUR VOICE? WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE? YOU LIVE UNDER MY ROOF, I TAKE CARE OF YOU, I GIVE YOU FOOD TO EAT, WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT? IF YOU WANT PRAISES, WELL I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, I DON'T GIVE PRAISES TO LOUSY FILTH LIKE YOU!"  
  
"But Mama, what have I done wrong? I've never brought shame to our family name, I gained respect for this family…I do chores around the house, I always study and I always get good marks, and I might even get chosen to play Aurora in sleeping beauty at the school's play…what else do you want from me?"  
  
*Slap, slap*  
  
"DON'T YOU EVER LECTURE ME, YOUNG LADY, THAT'S MY JOB!"  
  
*Slap, slap*  
  
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHETHER YOU DO WELL AT SCHOOL…AND I'M PRETTY SURE YOU CHEATED ON THAT EXAM, HOW CAN YOUR BROTHER FAILED IT WHILE YOU GET FULL MARKS? YOU MUST HAVE WRITTEN THE ANSWERS SOMEWHERE, YOU LITTE CHEATER!"  
  
"I'm not a cheater…" Melody stated with tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
Melody's mother grabbed Melody's right hand and dug her nails in. Melody screamed out in agony.  
  
*Slap, slap*  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE SCREAM!"  
  
"Mama…it hurts…"  
  
"WELL IT'S SUPPOSE TO HURT!"  
  
"Why Mama? Why are you hurting me?"  
  
Melody's Mum pushed her to the wall and Melody screamed louder than she did before.  
  
*SLAP*  
  
"What did I tell you?" Melody's Mum hissed. "No screaming! Now you march to your room and stay there, no dinner for you tonight….and tomorrow, you're going to go up to your teacher and tell her you cheated on the history exam…"  
  
"But Mama, I didn't cheat…"  
  
"Yes you did, don't lie to me Melody Asuen! Your brother is ten times smarter than you are and it's such a shock that he failed and you passed! Now go! No complaints…or else!" she threatened with such cold eyes.  
  
Melody obeyed and walked up the steps to her room. She was surprised when she saw the door to her room was opened. She walked in and gave out a faint scream. Somebody had trashed her room!. All of her books that she had cherished were torn into pieces, her clothes were thrown around her room and her favourite dress was cut through the middle. The stuffing for her soft toys were out, all her cd's were snapped in half.  
  
Then somebody forcefully pushed her inside, she turned to find her step brother there with evil glint in his eyes.  
  
"This is your punishment for making me look like a fool in class, and also your punishment, for…rejecting me…" he said.  
  
"But I'm your sister!!!" Melody half-yelled.  
  
"But not full blood!" he said spitefully. "I used to love you Melody, I really did, I was enchanted with how you look and how you spoke…but not anymore…now you enjoy your precious little room…and Melody, you'll suffer more pains and loss until you give in to me…"  
  
"I thought you don't love me anymore…"  
  
"Oh I don't…gosh I got over you a long time ago…since then Mel, I love to see you suffer…"  
  
Then her step brother stalked off.  
  
"Kevin! Come back here and clean this mess up!" Melody yelled out after him.  
  
Kevin didn't answer, but her mum did.  
  
"MELODY IF YOU SCREAM ONCE MORE, YOU'LL REGRET IT!"  
  
Melody cowered into her room. She was only 12 years old, how could she face and solve all of her problems?  
  
For the rest of the day, she tried to get everything back to order. She even cut her feet on a piece of glass, the blood had wetted the carpet. Kevin had broken the thing she had cherished the most, it was a crystal swan. It was from her real dad who had died because of a stupid pilot who couldn't control the airplane.  
  
Melody let the tears flow down her scarred and red cheeks. Then suddenly the door to her room was swung open. Her step dad came in looking as mad as ever.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THIS ROOM?" he bellowed.  
  
"I…I didn't do it, Kevin did…"  
  
"FOR WHAT REASON?"  
  
"Because, I beat him in an exam…"  
  
"O? THE EXAM THAT YOU CHEATED IN?"  
  
"I DID NOT CHEAT!" Melody yelled and that done it.  
  
She had the worst beating in her entire life. She couldn't lie down on her bed properly. It would sting her body. Her body was scarred all over.  
  
A few days after she had recovered although she still had the marks on her body, Kevin, Lana (Her step sister) and Darren (Her step dad) went out to an amusement park. Her mother who doesn't like rides stayed home, that was when her mother could be a little bit nicer to her. After all, Melody was greatly loved by her mother before her dad died. But something happened, for her Mum suddenly turned cold towards her. Her mother was in the kitchen, cooking lunch. Melody approached slowly.  
  
"Mama…" she said softly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Since I'm such a burden in this house…I think I should go to a boarding school, where you don't have to see me … I wont come home for the holidays but I'll send you letters and gifts…No one have to tolerate me anymore…I will live my own life while you live your own…"  
  
"I'll discuss it with Darren over dinner…"  
  
And when dinner came her Mum brought the subject up.  
  
"The filthy girl wouldn't be here anymore…she wont be a bother anymore and Lana could have Melody's old room, you know how much she wanted that room…"  
  
Darren had given it a very deep thought and at the end he agreed. They told her to pack and while she was doing this, Kevin was objecting about her leaving.  
  
"SHE CAN'T LEAVE! SHE HAS TO STAY! WHO WOULD DO THE CHORES?"  
  
He received a few slaps from his dad then he stormed up to Melody's bedroom and tried to force himself on her, he was so strong she thought that she couldn't fight him off. Her dress was torn when Darren and her mum came in. And guess what? They blamed everything on her.  
  
"Kevin wouldn't have done that unless you done something to him, you must have worn something revealing…" Darren said.  
  
"But Darren, I was wearing this dress…this dress!! You bought this for me for my birthday present and hell it must have been very cheap for it can torn so easily!"  
  
Melody received more beatings for this, and Kevin received none. She was glad when tomorrow came. She was leaving this hell-hole and then she could start a new life. And that was where she met Sakura, Makoto and Kari. Even though they had been very nice to her, she cried in the night, remembering her past.  
  
~*End of Flash Back…*~  
  
Melody cried her tears, her sensual lips touching the covering of the bed. No one knew anything about her dreaded past. She doesn't even know why she still protected her family name. Maybe because the fact that they pay for her school fees, and they still give her money to buy things, although it wasn't much.  
  
She wanted so much for someone to love her, and no one ever did. Willis was the first guy that she fell for, for 6 years she had never trusted any guys. She was scared that someone would do what Kevin had done to her and Willis had given her a sense of security.  
  
Who would have guessed? The girl that was so good at acting, that always get good grades had such a past? All of these years she had brilliantly put on an act. With the smiles and the laughter, putting a mask on her face. Everyone had thought that she had such supporting family. Ha! How wrong they were! Since her family was never proud of her, she'll show them! She would achieve great things, and maybe then, her family would be proud of her.  
  
Melody went to the bathroom and took a nice, warm shower.  
  
~Mimi and the others*~  
  
They reached the airport about 20 minutes after they left the hospital. All of them looked for any sign of Matt and T.K. They waited and waited, an hour passed then finally they saw 'The Hair'.  
  
All of them jumped to their feet and ran to him. He looked at them and felt the floor vibrating.  
  
"Matt, are you sure that you want to do this?" Mimi asked seriously.  
  
"Yeah…I want the best for my brother, my parents had also been informed so no need to tell them what I'm doing…"  
  
"Matt I'm going to miss you….not just me but the others as well…" Mimi said.  
  
"Yeah, I'm going to miss all of you too…" he said embarrassedly.  
  
"Remember, if anything goes wrong, you can always come back, we'll always be here…"  
  
"Yes I know…"  
  
"Yamato Ishida!" A voice called out.  
  
The others looked past Matt and saw a woman with russet hair and cerulean eyes.  
  
"Ah…" Matt said. "That's Miyuki Husaty, T.K's psychiatrist…"  
  
"Her?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"I reckon she should be a photo model! Not a psychiatrist…" Tai said.  
  
"But she has that…look on her face…making her look so snobby…" Sora remarked.  
  
"Do I detect jealousy?" Tai asked playfully.  
  
"Wha? Oh no! Never in a million years Taichi Yagami!" she said.  
  
"I agree with Sora…she has the look on her face…" Yolei said.  
  
"Females and their intuitions…" Ken said.  
  
Mimi and Sora quickly hugged Matt and Tai patted him on the back.  
  
"Good luck!" they all said.  
  
"Yeah thanks heaps for everything! I'll see you sometime!" Matt said as he ran to Dr. Miyuki Husaty.  
  
That was the last time they saw him until months later.  
  
~*Melody*~  
  
Melody wore a black turtleneck and cream, flared pants. She let her hair loose brushed it with such care. Melody made her way down the hotel and then made her way to the hospital. She jogged lightly, she needed to keep fit. Her hair blew from side to side giving her a very magical look. She was so close to the hospital, she just needed to cross the street, when a car blocked her way. The front door opened and came out the last person she ever wanted to see.  
  
Kevin.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So what do you think of this chapter? I know Melody's past was a bit…dramatic…but…it spices the story up… and anyway…I would kill anyone who does something like that to a 12 years old child…  
  
Hehehe…I think I babbled to much! Please review!  
  
Ja Ne!  
  
~CherryBlossom~ 


	10. The Road To Recovery

Konnichiwa Mina-San! It's almost my birthday! Yay! 1st Of June…this Sat… I expect reviews for my birthday present… *winKz* eNjOy!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The Road To Recovery  
  
Melody froze on her spot as she scrutinized Kevin's features. He took her breath away, despite all the cruel and mean things he had done to Melody, she was awed at his handsome looks. His hazel eyes shone in the pale moonlight and his brunette hair was ruffled around, though it gave him the appealing look. His complexion was fair and light and the look on his face was intriguing and innocent, it seemed hard to picture that this guy was the boy that had tried to rape her.  
  
Kevin looked at her with the oddest expression.  
  
"Melody?" he murmured softly.  
  
Melody slowly backed away. Step by step. Her right hand clutched into a fist, ready to strike.  
  
"Get away from me Kevin!" Melody said defiantly.  
  
"Wait Melody…" Kevin said pleadingly. He tried to hold her hand but she backed away even more.  
  
Melody studied him carefully. He looked different, he seemed changed. She relaxed a tiny bit and let her guard down, she soon found out that it was a big mistake for as soon as she stopped backing away, Kevin grabbed her shoulders and held on to her tightly. He looked at her with such longing in his eyes, he stared at her, drinking her in.  
  
"Oh Melody…" he started to say. "You've grown, my you have… you looked even more astonishing! Well I'll be damned…"  
  
"Kevin…let go of me…" Melody said.  
  
"Beautiful lady you are, Mel…" Kevin said ignoring Melody's words.  
  
"KEVIN GET AWAY FROM ME!" Melody shrieked out.  
  
People stopped to look at them but Kevin simply ignored them.  
  
"Why Melody?" he asked her quietly but with a threatening tone. He tightened his grip on her.  
  
The pain hit Melody so hard that memories of her past life rushed in on her. Tears flowed down her cheeks.  
  
"Oh Melody…" Kevin said comfortingly as he stroked Melody's face, which scared the day's light out of Melody. "Why the tears?"  
  
"You damn well know what for!" Melody spat.  
  
Kevin, ignoring Melody's words, yet again, placed his lips hard on her. It was teasing and brutal. Melody managed to push him away but then he grabbed her again. Others in the area were confused, what in the name of the world was going on?  
  
Melody looked around her helplessly, why wouldn't anyone help her? She felt herself being dragged inside Kevin's car, she tried to put up a fight but it was merely impossible.  
  
"KEVIN! STOP IT! SOMEBODY PLEASE, GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!" Melody yelled.  
  
The people around them stopped what they were doing then start to advance towards Kevin, Kevin, realizing this let go of Melody and pushed her away.  
  
"Alright, fine! Melody, I just wanted us to be together… I'm sorry for all of the things that I'd done to make you feel unsafe when you're near me…but you see, wanting you and can't having you drives me insane… that's why I'm like what I'm like... I can't live without your face Melody… oh I just can't… ask Mother what I was like when you went off to the boarding school and only until now… have I been truly happy…" said Kevin.  
  
"That's a lie Kevin and you know it!" Melody cried out.  
  
"No Melody… it's not a lie… I truly love you…"  
  
"Oh don't give me that bullshit…!"  
  
"Melody! Why do you assume that I'm lying? Can't you see it in my eyes? Look deep into it Melody… what do you see?" Kevin asked.  
  
Melody pretended to look into his eyes and after about a minute she gave him a 'look'.  
  
"I see… insanity, lies, stupidity and … selfishness…" Melody replied.  
  
"Melody! You didn't look!" Kevin cried out.  
  
"Don't need to look, I already know… "  
  
"Melody… "Kevin said softly.  
  
"Can you just get the hell away from me?"  
  
"As long as you're still free… and careless I will be around… "  
  
……………  
  
"MELODY!" A voice cried out.  
  
Melody looked past Kevin and saw Willis running quickly towards her. He reached her and grabbed her shoulders.  
  
"What?" Melody asked annoyed, she still was angry at him for the incident that happened earlier that day.  
  
"Kari… she… she gained her consciousness… and … Joe believe that the people that are near … should come and visit her… and since you're the closest around… I suggest you to come if you want her to get better… " Willis said.  
  
Melody questioned herself, did she want to help Kari get better? Did she want to loose Willis to her? Did she? Did she?  
  
"I believe Melody and I were having a rather important discussion… "Kevin said annoyed with the fact that Willis had interrupted.  
  
"And you are … ?" Willis asked.  
  
"My brother…" Melody answered.  
  
"Step brother…" Kevin said. "Not same blood what so ever!"  
  
"Ok…" Willis replied.  
  
"By the way, Mel… your mother wants to see you…"  
  
"She does?" Melody asked.  
  
"Yes Melody…she's on her death bed… "Kevin said, quivering a tiny bit.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"She has cancer Mel, and the doctors can't get rid of all the cells, there are too much! We've tried all treatment…getting Mum to all different hospitals, but the cells have spread and there is no hope left for her… "  
  
Melody hesitated, could Kevin be lying? It wasn't impossible, but she couldn't take the chance that her Mother was actually on her death bed. Even though her Mother hadn't been the best mother or even a good mother, she was the one who gave her life, she brought her up, she fed her and nourished her with love, she used too anyway.  
  
"Now, Kevin?" Melody asked reluctantly.  
  
"There is no better time, Melody… "Kevin said.  
  
"But Melody…" Willis objected, "You need to see Kari!"  
  
"Oh? I'm sorry Willis, but… my Mother… if she's … on her death bed…" Melody started to say.  
  
Willis nodded frustratingly, he waved his hand up in the air. "Ok, ok… fine!"  
  
"Oh but Willis," Melody said, she got a golden key out of her pocket, it glimmered in Melody's hand. "I have pictures of Kari with me, Sakura and Makoto, maybe that would help… just go to my room and it should be in my black hand bag, the photo album is leathery brown with the scent of rose… *laughs* I think I'm going to too much detail here… by the way it's room 42"  
  
Willis took the key from her hands. He clutched it as if the key could open doors that had magical solutions to all problems.  
  
"Ok then Melody… "Willis said.  
  
Willis witnessed Kevin and Melody getting into the car. Willis thought he saw Melody, shaking a tiny bit.  
  
"Wish me luck…" Melody whispered.  
  
"Good luck then" Willis said.  
  
"Thanks, because I'll need it… "  
  
And with that, Kevin and Melody drove into the night, leaving a confused Willis behind. He looked down the road for a few minutes more then he went to Melody's hotel room. He inserted the key to her room then slowly looked about for the black, hand bag. It took him only a few seconds to find it.  
  
Willis rummaged through the hand bag and soon he felt the leathery cover of some kind of a book. He lifted it out of the bag and studied it carefully. It wasn't brown nor did it smell like the roses. It was baby pink with pictures of cherry blossom petals. Willis's nose prickled the scent of a girl's perfume, it smelt so much like Kari's.  
  
Willis, being very curious about this book, lifted the cover.  
  
This diary belongs to Melody Asuen , age 11-12  
  
My home address is 23 Nokoda Street, Lukaba 8732.  
  
Please return this diary if lost…  
  
Now on to my tragic life….  
  
Willis was surprised with the word 'tragic', what could Melody possibly meant by the word tragic? He's not stupid, he knew what it meant, but someone as smart, beautiful and kind shouldn't have a tragic life, right? Look at her handwriting, amazingly neat! Willis, interested in this diary, sat down on Melody's bed and started reading the entries. So far the events that took place were normal… a girl depressed because her dad died, well that was normal enough. But then he stumbled upon serious matters. Her step brother almost raping her, getting beaten up by her parents though she did nothing wrong. Finally Willis reached her last entry.  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I hate my mother! I hater her, I hate her! Not just her, but my whole family. Hate them, oh I hate them! They don't realize that each day I'm drifting more and more away from them, one day they're going to loose me and they'll regret it…. they obviously don't need me but the day when I only see them with a blank expression, they'll regret it… oh they will! They don't even know how lonely I am… Sure I have lots of friends but one thing is missing, though I don't know what it is… Why love my mother? When she only cares about my step dad, my step brother and my step sister? She doesn't give a damn about her real daughter who brought nothing but respect from the teachers and the good marks. Yes, she buys me things, but only the things that I desperately need… something that she had no choice but to buy for me… Her precious step son always takes advantage of me… well guess what Mum? I've changed! I wouldn't let anyone take advantage of me anymore… not even you… All you see in me is nothing but trash that can't be discarded… Maybe you actually wanted me to be in that plane with daddy so I can die with him… I almost wished I was… I rather choose death than torture for all my life… I wished I was with him and not you… I'm sure if you were the one who died and I was to live with Daddy… I wouldn't be treated this way…  
  
I am not a slut like what your step son thought of me… do you ever realize how much it hurts Mum? When he calls me something I'm not and yet you believe everything he says, but you never believe me…for goodness sake… I'm your DAUGHTER! Your flesh and blood! No I did not date with 10 different boys (like what Kevin told you) I'm not going to date until you tell me that I can… but for now, I'll live the romance in my imagination without worrying. I used to want a boyfriend but the reason was, I needed someone to listen to me and understands what I'm going through…Someone who will comfort me, but you forbid me from having that warmth and security, your forbid me to be happy and to be 'me'. You don't even realize what I'm going through… all this pain and sorrow… Mum, don't you think I grieve for Daddy's death? Or do you think that I enjoy every single time you're in pain? I grieve so much for Daddy's death… and I also grieve…for loosing the mother I ever had… I lost you mum…and you lost me…I'm never happy but when I'm TRULY happy is when I sleep and go to the fantasy world of dreams…where I can be free and be 'me'.  
  
'If you want to,  
  
I can save you,  
  
I can take you away from here…  
  
So lonely inside, so busy out there…  
  
And al you wanted,  
  
Was someone to care…'  
  
That was my favourite song, sang by Michelle Branch, which suits me very much…  
  
After all I only wanted someone to care  
  
Willis gazed down the page and realized that there was one last sentence at the bottom of the page… and it looked like it just had been written. It said:  
  
And that someone is… Willis….  
  
That concluded the last entry. Willis almost cried. All this time, Melody just wanted comfort and warmth and he was the only one that could give that sense of security. Gosh Melody, if only you told me earlier… he said in his thoughts. Now it was too late, he already told Kari that he was her fiancée when he could have easily said that T.K was her fiancée…  
  
After what her step brother had done to her… wait…step brother… that meant… that Melody just went with her step brother! Willis wrote down Melody's old address and then he dashed to his car. He hoped that that was where Kevin had taken her either than some place else.  
  
~*Taichi and the others at Tai's place*~  
  
"Well… we wouldn't be seeing Matt and T.K in quiet a while…" Tai said.  
  
"Yeah… we guess so… "Sora whispered.  
  
"I hope they're going to be ok…" Makoto said softly. "This is no easy obstacle… they're not just testing T.K's and Kari's love… they're testing our strengths too…"  
  
"Who do you exactly mean by 'they'?" Mimi asked.  
  
"The world, nature…life…" Makoto answered.  
  
"Oh…"  
  
"Oh…a SMS from Willis…" Syaoran said suddenly.  
  
"Read it out…" Sakura commanded.  
  
'Syaoran…tell the others that Kari had gained her consciousness and still conscious right now… I suggest you and the others go there as quickly as possible so she can remember quicker… I already said a few things to her and she knows that I'm her fiancée, but I wish I could take that back… but anyway, I'm on my way to help… someone… and I can't be beside Kari… so I'm counting on you and the others to help Kari… anyway I really got to go… please be in the hospital ASAP!'  
  
Syaoran read out.  
  
"What does he mean? By wishing he could take that back?" Izzy asked.  
  
"Beats me… but let's go to the hospital now…" Tai said and the others nodded their heads in agreement and then they left.  
  
~*Melody*~  
  
Melody saw the familiar scenery of her childhood life. She saw the wide landscape where she used to run around with her dad, flying a kite, playing hide and seek and many other things. Much beautiful memories she had. Memories that she would always cherish in her heart…memories that she couldn't afford to loose. Melody, then saw, the recognizable structure of her house. The little front garden that she and her mother had made was still there, although it didn't look as beautiful as it used too. The roses and the tulips gave the house a lively look. The house was made out of cream coloured bricks and the roof was the colour of the night. Four windows were placed at the second level and two windows were put on the first level. There was a rich-looking door in between the two windows. It looked as if the handle was made out of gold.  
  
Kevin drove into the driveway and turned off the engine. Melody got out of the car before Kevin did. She walked, almost running, to the front door. She rang the door bell and waited a few seconds. Kevin was already beside her when the door was opened. There stood a girl with bright hazel eyes and coffee coloured hair that was tied back into a ponytail. She wore a black skirt and a cream coloured blouse. She came out of the house and kissed Kevin gently on the cheek. Melody, without being invited in, walked in.  
  
"Hey!" The girl cried out.  
  
"Lana…" Kevin started to say. "That stunning grown up girl is Melody…you remember her don't you…?"  
  
"Maybe…" was Lana's poor reply.  
  
Melody walked up the steps and found herself face-to-face with the door to her old room. She touched the wooden door with the tip of her fingers and without hesitating she opened the door. Instead of finding her old bed and her old dresser, she found, other things with shocking bright colours. She never was fond of bright colours, she had always like light, babyish colours.  
  
"What are you doing in my room?" Lana boomed from behind.  
  
Melody turned, surprised.  
  
"Sorry, but this was my old room…" Melody said under her breath.  
  
"Well it's my room now, please leave!" Lana commanded.  
  
Melody did as she was told, she didn't want to start any fights or arguments while she was in her old house, her old home.  
  
Melody journeyed forward to her Mother's room. The door was slightly opened. She took a slight peak and saw her mother lying on a double bed with a blanket over her top half of her body. Darren was sitting beside her on the bed with no expression.  
  
Melody cleared her throat so they could acknowledge her presence. Darren looked up.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
  
Melody strolled into the room and stood beside her mother who stared at her with large, curious eyes.  
  
"Who am I? Is that what you said Darren?" Melody asked.  
  
"If you heard me correctly…yes it was…" Darren replied gruffly.  
  
"Let me give you a clue… someone who you used to abuse and torture…" Melody said.  
  
"Melody…?" Her mother spoke up.  
  
"Yes mother, it is I…" Melody replied and knelt down beside her.  
  
Melody's mother studied Melody's features and smiled.  
  
"You had always reminded me of him…" she said softly with such a dreamy look on her face. She stroked Melody's face with lots of motherly love.  
  
Oh how Melody had longed for that.  
  
"Mama…are you really sick?" Melody finally asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid I am… I'm going to leave this world soon…"  
  
"Mama…" Melody softly moaned.  
  
"Yes Melody, now during my last moments I would like to say a few things to you…"  
  
Melody brazed herself for this.  
  
"You had always made me proud… always and I mean always… the reason I was so mean to you… was because, you reminded me so much of your father, and I just couldn't forgive him for leaving me and you … why couldn't I just die with him? I always asked myself…and every time I looked at your face, I see him…shining through you… I just couldn't bare that… that's why I had always try to hurt you so you'll look less and less like him, but I was wrong, you continued to grow to be just like him… and I am sorry I had contaminated your childhood with abuse…"  
  
"I'm sorry I had favoured Kevin and Lana and not you, although they're not really my children, and you are my daughter… my real daughter, someone who I should have paid attention too… but I was blinded with my own selfishness and needs…. I am truly sorry for that…"  
  
Melody grabbed her Mother's hand and held on to it tightly.  
  
"Melody…ever since you left…I always carried your smile in my heart… carried your dad's too, because without the both of you…my life was empty… and I guess cancer is my punishment for being so cruel to someone who really loved me…I would gaze at the picture of three of us when we were still one complete family and I would remember, how you always helped me with the cooking and how you had always brought happiness to our home… not just with your grades and achievements but with your pearl laughter, your brilliant smile and your graciousness… Your dad and I were blessed with such a wonderful daughter… "  
  
Melody's mother took a long look at Melody's face and Melody cried her tears.  
  
"You forgive me don't you Melody?"  
  
"Of course Mama, I could never stay mad at you…" Melody said through her tears.  
  
"Good…good…" Melody's mother said. She closed her eyes and fell asleep…and she never woke again. Her mother had a glad smile on her face.  
  
"Mama!" Melody cried out as she hugged her Mother's still body. "Mama… don't leave…not yet….not when I know you still love me…we could be together again…yes we can… I love you Mama…more than anything else… please wake up! Please wake up…"  
  
Melody sobbed then she felt two strong hands on her shoulder. She looked up with blurry eye and she could just outline Willis's face. She got up and fell into his embrace.  
  
"Willis…" she sobbed. "My Mama…she's gone…and I haven't told her how much I had loved her and how much I still do…Willis…please turn back the time…"  
  
Willis kissed her hair and said "I'm sorry Melody, I can't…"  
  
Melody hit Willis's chest with her fist and Willis endured the pain quietly. "You have too! You have too!... oh Willis… you have too…"  
  
"As much as I want to Melody… I can't…" Willis whispered.  
  
Melody soaked Willis's shirt with her tears as she cried on his shoulder. She turned her head to look at Darren, who now, had broken down. His tears flowed freely down his face. It was hard for Melody to believe, someone that was so cold hearted as he, could cry. Kevin and Lana walked in and saw their step mother so still, then they too started to mourn for her death. But Melody knew, she was the one with deepest regret and deepest pain, she didn't get to spend much time with her mother, she left and just came back after six years. Melody's eyes went to her mother's body. How beautiful she still looked. She just realized that she was blessed with her mother's flowing hair and radiance.  
  
"Mama…" she said just above a whisper. "Take good care of Daddy up there for me ok? I'm sure you two are happy with each other now… and nothing else could make me more happier… you two together again… just wait for me ok? Someday we'll be together again… and this time there will be no pain… I love you, Mama…"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The funeral for Mrs. Asuen's death was held the very next day. Very few people attended for she stopped going out with her friends after her husband died. Willis held Melody's hand to give her support. The tears of sadness, sorrow and pain broke free from Melody's eyelids. She watched her mother's coffin being lowered down to the ground. Now she only had the memories of her mother and father. Now she was truly an orphan. She would live by herself now because no one will make her live with Darren, Kevin and Lana.  
  
Melody grabbed some earth and threw it down to her mother's coffin.  
  
"Good luck Mama… I hope you're happy up there with Daddy… hope you two have a good life up there…together… and someday I'll join you…goodbye and so long…"  
  
Willis tapped Melody's shoulder. She smiled pathetically and walked away from her childhood horror and life with a new companion by her side, Willis.  
  
~*Matt*~  
  
"Welcome Mr. Ishida and Miss. Husaty… are your luggage all here?" A lady with waist length black, silky hair welcomed. She had friendly amethyst eyes and a smile so joyful that it made Matt believed that everything would be fine.  
  
"Yes Tomoyo-chan, they're here…" Miyuki replied.  
  
"Oh cousin Miyuki… you haven't changed…" Tomoyo teased.  
  
"Cousins?" Matt asked.  
  
"Yeah…" Miyuki said. "Her fiancée is a specialist in T.K's condition…he's a professional psychiatrist, now Tomoyo…can you get the luggage in? and ask Eriol to come out to help bring T.K in…"  
  
Tomoyo clicked her fingers and out came ladies in black. They walked humbly to take their luggage in. Tomoyo had a satisfied smile on her face.  
  
"Still having body guards?" Miyuki asked.  
  
"Of course, I need lots of them to take guard of my mansion…"  
  
Matt then realized how big this place was. The garden around it was bigger than the local park at Odaiba. It had different plants everywhere. The breeze was refreshing and welcoming.  
  
The place that he was supposedly to spend his days in was humungous. It had a double door that opened grandly to reveal bits of the inside. Already Matt could see doors to rooms and a marble staircase that led up to other rooms and luxuries.  
  
"Tomoyo, Eriol please…" Miyuki said.  
  
"Oh woops, almost forgotten… " Tomoyo admitted. She inserted her hand to her pocket than she got out a purple and pink cell phone. It had pictures of the moon and the stars on it.  
  
Tomoyo dialed some numbers than place the phone next to her ear.  
  
"Hello…Eriol-kun?"  
  
-  
  
"Can you come to the front door now? Because Miyuki-chan and…"  
  
"Yamato…" Miyuki said.  
  
"And Yamato-san is here…."  
  
-  
  
"Ok…see you soon…"  
  
Tomoyo ended her conversation and smiled. "He's on his way, he should be here in a few minutes…he was upstairs setting up the room for Mr. Takaishi…"  
  
Miyuki and Matt nodded.  
  
"Miyuki why don't you wait here? I'll give Yamato a tour of the mansion…he might get lost…" Tomoyo suggested.  
  
"Yes sure…and oh Tomoyo remember, everything is, furtive…" Miyuki replied.  
  
Tomoyo gestured her hand to welcome Matt in. Matt sauntered in and wished he had lots of eyes to examine everything there. There were amazing paintings on the walls and the floor was made of tiles. He walked on with Tomoyo explaining things. He saw a glass table on the sides. There was a red vase and roses in it. Around it was framed photos. He walked up to the table and examined the photos. He saw Tomoyo when she was younger with a boy with round glasses and stunning blue hair.  
  
"That's Eriol…" Tomoyo said.  
  
Matt nodded.  
  
Then a picture caught his eyes. The person in the photo looked awfully familiar. The girl had short auburn hair with two red hair ties on either side of her hair. She had emerald eyes and a light complexion. She wore a pink sun dress.  
  
"That's my best friend…" Tomoyo said.  
  
"Oh I see…" Matt said without taking his eyes off the photo. He had seen her somewhere.  
  
"Intrigued by her looks?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"What? Oh no… she just looked…familiar…that's all…" Matt answered.  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"Well I even got stacks of videos of her, maybe you'll look at it later…but for now I have to continue giving you the tour, I would hate for you to get lost…"  
  
"Ok then…"  
  
"Now that's the pool and that's the … "  
  
~*Kari*~  
  
Kari looked at the people around her. Yes she remembered the one with the amazingly bizarre hair. She had spent lots of time with him.  
  
"Do you remember me now, Kari?" he asked with a tone of excitement in his voice.  
  
"Yes… in fact I do… you're… Tai! Onni-chan!" Kari said.  
  
"Isn't that great guys? She's already starting to remember us…" he exclaimed.  
  
"Do you remember me?" A boy with spiky brown hair asked, he had a goggle around his head.  
  
Kari frowned like a child. "No…I'm sorry…but I recognized the goggle…" she said.  
  
Everyone broke into laughter and Kari, not sure what the laughter was all about, laughed also. Her laughter brought joy and happiness to everyone.  
  
"Now Kari…" A girl with strawberry hair said.  
  
Kari swore that she'd seen this girl before, of course she had. She tried really hard to figure out her name and some memories that she had with her, but she did not succeed.  
  
"We don't want to tire you out with all the thinking and the stressing of who's who…we just want you to recover in a good and healthy way…maybe we should just play games now…" she suggested.  
  
Kari nodded her head, her brown hair flying here and there.  
  
"I think…we should ask people what they like and stuff like that, maybe it'll refresh Kari's memory bit by bit…" A girl with reddish hair.  
  
Kari recognized this one too, but the name of her or what role she played in her life was unclear. One thing for sure, she was her brother's girlfriend.  
  
"We'll start with me…" The boy with the goggles said.  
  
And so they played. Kari didn't remember their names but she had foggy memories now in her head. By the end of the day she only succeeded with remembering one person and that was Makoto.  
  
With the description and talks that Kari had with the other people, she discovered that she was a digi-destined, the queen of numemons, the bearer of light and that she had a cat friend named Gatomon. She overheard a conversation between her brother's girlfriend and her brother.  
  
"We can't tell her about T.K yet…" her brother's girlfriend stated.  
  
"Sora…" he said. "She needs to know, who knows maybe it'll help her remember…"  
  
"No it won't! She might get shocked and scared when she heard of what happened to T.K…" Sora hissed.  
  
Kari didn't hear anymore for she drifted to sleep. That night she had a dream of a blond haired boy with a round hat around his head. He had eyes the same colour of the ocean. He filled Kari with warmth and passion. She didn't know why she had burst with happiness when she saw his face. His face was pure and innocent, as if he had no sin. Kari woke up the next day in high spirits and eagerness for more stories and memories. She was so happy that day that Makoto realized the changes in her.  
  
"You seemed very happy today, Kari…" she said.  
  
"Oh yes, I am…very happy… I had this wonderful dream last night…first of all there was this blond boy that took my breath away… and then he turned into a handsome prince and guess what? I was the princess that he had come to ask hand in marriage….amazing huh? He told me his name was Prince Takeru… Takeru…such a lovely name, a name that indicated he was not weak but kind, caring and loving…. He said I had eyes just like rubies… and that I was pure and sincere…. Well… he had to leave my kingdom but he promised me that he'll come back… the last thing he said to me was… 'My fair Lady Hikari, I will come back to thee, thou shall not forget of I for I'll be greatly disappointed if you do, we'll meet again my Fair Lady, whilst the moonlight shine bright, approving of our love… ' So romantic don't you think?" Kari said.  
  
Makoto was speechless, Sora had forbade her to tell Kari anything about T.K and now she dreamt of him.  
  
"Yes, yes it was…" Makoto said.  
  
"Even though he's not real…he'll live in my imagination, Takeru…. My Prince Takeru… I won't marry unless I find someone that is so much like him!" Kari exclaimed.  
  
"But what about Willis?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Oh Willis? I don't think he loves me… I saw how he looked at Melody, you said her name was? He looked at her with such affection… I'm going to talk about that to him…and we'll see what happens…" Kari said softly.  
  
"Oh…"  
  
"Yes, How thin and sharp is the moon tonight! How thin and sharp and ghostly white…Is the slim curved crook of the moon tonight…!" Kari said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Prince Takeru said that to me when we first met…."  
  
"That was a poem written by Langston Hughes…." Makoto said.  
  
Kari shrugged her shoulders. "It's what I remember…I know! Takeru is a little bit too long to say…I mean it's not long but too formal…I'll call him T.K… the boy of my dreams…T.K…now that name gives me a familiar feeling though I can't put my finger on it…" Kari said.  
  
"Kari! It's time for breakfast, now do you want me to spread the maple syrup on the pancake? Or…?  
  
~*Matt*~  
  
"How is he doing?" Matt asked Eriol.  
  
"He's doing good, he's recovering Yamato, this treatment wont last very long, the pictures of Kari that you provided are effecting him very much… although if Kari was here in person, it would probably cure him!" Eriol exclaimed.  
  
"I hope that can happen…" Matt started to say. "But Kari is suffering memory loss…"  
  
"Oh…"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"Ok then…now let's check your brother's condition…" Eriol said.  
  
~*6 months later*~  
  
"And you're Mimi, who went to New York, your digimon partner is Palmon and you are the bearer of sincerity!" Kari said.  
  
"Yay! She remembers me!" Mimi cried out in happiness.  
  
"Yes," Izzy said. "That leaves one person…"  
  
They were all in the park where they once had come up with plans for finding the 8th digi-destined, they were in fact under the same shaded tree. Kari had been released out of the hospital a couple of months ago.  
  
The goggle boy stood in front of Kari, trying to smile but couldn't. Kari remembered everyone but him. No one had mentioned T.K to Kari but Makoto had been hearing more dreams of Prince Takeru.  
  
Kari studied him carefully and closed her eyes and tried to remember. She remembered him in the digital world, with… another boy… fighting over something.  
  
"You're Daisuke Motomiya…" Kari started to say. "And you…you used to fight with… "  
  
Before Kari could finish her sentence Davis had jumped up and down and the park was filled with the laughter from their group.  
  
Under Kari's breath she finished her sentence so ever softly, "Prince Takeru…"  
  
How was this possible? Kari asked her confused self. Prince Takeru was just a guy in her dreams, how could she remember him when she remembered Davis? Her thoughts were interrupted by Sakura.  
  
"Kari, don't forget, tomorrow we leave for Tomoyo's house, gosh I haven't visited her in ages…!" Sakura said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
What did you think of that? Did you cry? I just want to know because I want see whether I can create a sad scene…well I want my birthday present now… those reviews!!  
  
~CherryBlossom~ 


	11. Moments that Thou Shouldst Remember

A Long, Lost Love Chapter 11 Moments That Thy Should Remember  
  
~*Matt*~  
  
"I'm sorry, Miyuki." Tomoyo said softly.  
  
"I can't believe this!" Miyuki cried out.  
  
"Calm down ladies!" Eriol said out. "We'll do it this way, T.K stays here, but you Miyuki, and Yamato have to leave.and anyway, T.K is making excellent progress, he's starting to get out of his room and going down to the beach, enjoying the fresh air."  
  
"Why do we have to go though? We could just pretend to be relatives. oh my gosh, I am a relative!" Miyuki objected stubbornly.  
  
"No, it's just. it's Sakura, I can't possibly lie to her." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Lying what? I am a relative!" Miyuki shot at Tomoyo.  
  
"Miyuki." Yamato said softly as he grabbed her hand. "We'll go according to their plan ok? We've been doing your plans for the past 6 months or so, can't we just follow theirs for once?"  
  
Miyuki's face softened.  
  
"Fine! We'll do it their way, but if it doesn't work. then. we're coming back." Miyuki stated then she went inside the house.  
  
Tomoyo sighed. "Miyuki had always been like this."  
  
~*Kari*~  
  
Kari watched intently as Sakura packed Kari's suitcase.  
  
"I can do it by myself, you know." Kari complained.  
  
"I know. but.oh, I don't know." Sakura replied.  
  
Kari had her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her hair was put up. She wore a flared jeans and a red jumper. Just then Willis walked past her room. Kari looked up and then ran out and grabbed his hand.  
  
Willis, surprised at Kari's action, stopped.  
  
"Oh hi Kari." Willis said.  
  
"Willis, we need to talk," said Kari.  
  
"Alright, go on."  
  
"Not here. erm, can we just go somewhere quiet?" Kari asked.  
  
"Sure." Willis said puzzled.  
  
They both walked side by side, down to the local park. Kari took Willis to the centre of the park and then she sat down on the lush, green grass. Willis followed suit. For a few minutes, Kari just stared ahead and this gave time for Willis to study Kari's face.  
  
Her nose was in a perfect shape, her lips were tempting, her eyes were magnificent, her hair was straight with no curls and had the scent of wild forest in it. Sweet, gentle Hikari would always be the same. Still the lady that attracted everyone, still the lady that shone with virtue and purity, still the lady that brought happiness to everyone's life and still the one and only Yagami Hikari.  
  
Just then, the evening breeze past through the park, it made the leaves on the trees to sway, it made the grass sizzle, it made the dandy-lions petals to fly away and it made Kari's ponytail sway to the side.  
  
Willis smiled silently to himself, still the only angel around, he thought.  
  
"Willis." Kari started to say.  
  
"Hmm." Willis said as a tone of reply.  
  
"I want you to be completely truthful with me ok?"  
  
Willis's body tensed up. "Ok."  
  
"It is Melody you love and not me. am I correct?" Kari asked getting right to the point.  
  
For a moment it was as if Willis had lost his breath, the question he had been dreading for had finally been asked. In his heart there were two girls, Melody and Kari. The two of them had brought out the best in him and now, he didn't know which one to choose. At the time when he thought Melody was in danger, Willis had his heart dead-set on her, but now, after spending more time with Kari, he fell in love with her all over again. He couldn't say for sure who he really loved, at some days it would be Melody and at some other days it would be Kari. Oh somebody please help him sort out this problem.  
  
"Answer truthfully Willis, don't lie to me." Kari said.  
  
How could he answer truthfully when he didn't know the real answer himself? He could say something that he would regret later. Oh why did she have to ask him this question at this time?  
  
"Kari, I'm pretty sure that it's you I love." Willis said.  
  
"Pretty sure? " Kari asked with her eyes widened open.  
  
"Actually I'm one hundred percent sure.." Willis reassured Kari although he wasn't sure whether it was the right thing to say.  
  
Kari didn't know what reaction she should have, but she hugged him in an energetic style. Willis was really surprised by her reaction, yet again. Had she forgotten about T.K and only remembered him as her one and only true love? Would she dedicate her love only to him and only him?  
  
Kari quickly kissed him on the lips then she got up and jogged away. Willis seeing this as a challenge ran after her and started to chase her. Willis could hear Kari's pearl laughter at the front. He ran faster and grabbed her waist and swung her around. They both laughed together as they were having their fun, showing their affection and dedication to each other.  
  
Willis knew that this wasn't how things would always be. Sooner or later she would find T.K whether he wanted it to happen or not. But as far as he was concerned Kari didn't know about T.K's existence or the past that she had had with him. Their wedding date had been appointed. They've decided now to get married earlier, but would still do their schooling. Willis's parents were told about the act that they did with Melody. They were quite crossed, but cooled down afterwards. Willis would marry her out of his own free will, but he would understand if Kari found T.K and decided to stay with him. Anyway Willis wasn't really sure about his feelings toward Kari and Melody. Which one was true love?  
  
Willis put Kari back on the grass and they both walked back to Sakura's rented place in Odaiba, with Willis's hand on Kari's shoulders and Kari's hand on Willis's hips.  
  
"You're going to see me off right? Before I leave tomorrow?" Kari asked.  
  
"Yeah of course, why wouldn't I?"  
  
"I don't know I just wanted to make sure."  
  
Willis placed his mild lips on Kari's forehead and Kari smiled babyishly. She snuggled closer to Willis's body and walked on, enjoying every time Willis showed affection to her.  
  
~*Matt*~  
  
Matt strolled down the beach, his bare foot touching the soft, golden sand. He turned to his left and saw the sun setting. Right on the edge of the ocean waters was T.K.  
  
T.K was standing still, watching the sunset, and throwing rocks at the ocean. His blue eyes gave away his sadness. T.K's amazing golden hair shone out in the evening.  
  
Matt walked up to T.K and placed his hand on his shoulders.  
  
"T.K.what's on your mind.?" Matt asked.  
  
T.K didn't answer straight away, his eyes narrowed down as he thought about it. After about a few seconds or so, he answered.  
  
"I've got this girl in my mind that I can't even meet! When will I see her, Matt? I'm dying without her! It had been how long Matt? It's been more than six month Matt! More than half a year!!! I wouldn't even be surprised if I've walked passed her and we didn't notice each other, maybe both of our physical looks have changed."  
  
"T.K.we've told you this many times, you were in no position to meet her.and she wasn't in any position to meet you." Matt answered.  
  
"But I am now! I'm ok! I'm cured! I want to see her Matt, please take me to her." T.K pleaded.  
  
Matt couldn't stand to see his brother, pleading to him like this. His eyes pleaded him desperately.  
  
"As much as I want you to see her, I don't think that's possible, I haven't been in any contact with her or Taichi, or the others. We don't know her condition Takeru, you'll have to wait, till you're healthy enough to leave, then I'll take you to her." Matt explained.  
  
"But I'm healthy now, Matt! Look at me! I'm not insane, I'm not weak, I'm normal!" T.K cried out.  
  
"I know you are, but you can only leave when Eriol says so. and anyway, while I'm gone, you just continue painting the ship alright?" Matt said.  
  
"Someday I'm going to sail away from this place." T.K said. "Sure, this place might look lovely in someone's eyes, but to me, this is a prison that I've been put into."  
  
"T.K don't say that."  
  
T.K turned around.  
  
"I'm tired, I want to go to sleep."  
  
T.K then slowly walked away, leaving Matt behind.  
  
~*Next Day In Odaiba*~  
  
Kari, Syaoran and Sakura were sitting on the seats provided in the airport, waiting for their friends to come. Soon enough, they spotted their friends entering the airport.  
  
Kari jumped up and flung her hands around Willis's neck. Willis bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. Melody turned away and tried not to look, it hurt her too much to see this. From now on, she was going to bury all her jealousy and sorrow in her heart, and sometimes, if Willis could help, she would tell Willis.  
  
"We're about to go in." Sakura said.  
  
"Oh Alright." Kari said.  
  
She let go of Willis then she went around the group saying goodbye to everyone, and telling them to take care of themselves.  
  
"Kari, take good care of yourself!" Taichi said.  
  
"Alright Onni-chan.! Till we meet again everyone!" Kari said.  
  
Then Kari, Syaoran and Sakura disappeared from their view.  
  
~*2 hours later in Tomoeda*~  
  
"Tomoyo, do you really have to bring that camera?" Eriol asked sweat dropping.  
  
"Of course!" Tomoyo said as she focused her eye on the camera. "I need to tape Sakura coming home to Tomoeda, it's a shame that Touya can't make it to pick up his little sister today.I'm sure he would be surprised on how Sakura had grown up to be."  
  
"Yeah. and-"  
  
"Shusshh!! There she is! With two other people." Tomoyo said.  
  
Sakura looked around then spotted a girl wearing a yellow dress, with silky black hair down to her waist and a camera. Sakura suddenly lost balance but Syaoran caught her.  
  
"Are you ok, Sakura?" He asked with deep concern.  
  
"Yeah, I'm just. shocked or not shocked I don't know. surprised or not surprised I don't even know."  
  
"Huh? You're not making any sense." Syaoran said.  
  
"Sakura-chan!!!" Tomoyo cried out. "Smile for the camera!"  
  
Sakura sweat dropped then she put on a smile on her face. She walked up to Tomoyo and hugged her but careful not to touch the camera.  
  
Tomoyo switched the camera off then introduced Sakura to Eriol.  
  
"This is my fiancée Hawisaka Eriol.Eriol this is my best friend Kinomoto Sakura."  
  
"Oh hello Mr. Hawisaka."  
  
"Please, call me Eriol."  
  
"Oh ok then Eriol, Tomoyo, this is my boyfriend Li Syaoran and my other close friend, Yagami Hikari."  
  
"Hello, hello! Hikari did you say?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Yes, but everyone else calls her Kari."  
  
"That name sure rings a bell." Eriol said. "But never mind that, let's go!"  
  
~*T.K*~  
  
T.K was on the edge of the beach, painting his ship. Carefully and neatly he wrote 'Hikari + Takeru,' He knew that he was a guy and shouldn't colour some parts of the ship pink, but that was Kari's favourite colour. On the other side he wrote 'Light + Hope ' then he painted that side sea blue.  
  
Suddenly, noises of chattering caught his ears. He turned and saw five people walking in, into Tomoyo's place. He saw Tomoyo and Eriol enter first, then following them were three other people.  
  
One had short, auburn hair. She wore flared jeans, a pink turtleneck and a denim jacket. Next to her was a guy with messy brown hair, who wore a green shirt and black pants. The girl behind them was the one who caught T.K's eyes. She wore a pink top, that flared out on the hands and a flared cream pants. She had hazelnut hair that was let out, it spread nicely on her back and on her shoulders.  
  
Was that an angel? T.K asked himself. Or was it Kari? Could it possibly Kari? No it couldn't be. but why couldn't it be?  
  
With these thoughts in his head, he continued to paint the ship. Eager to leave the place he was in.  
  
~*Kari*~  
  
Kari was fascinated with the inside of Tomoyo's house, or should she say, Mansion. It was amazing! The furniture, the decorations, the furnishings, the marble staircases and the many rooms! There was a pool at the back and words just couldn't describe how wonderful her backyard was. Not only was it beautiful in sight, it was big and spacey! Kari could just outline the beach from where she was standing.  
  
"This is an amazing place!" Kari breathed.  
  
"Let me show you to your room." Tomoyo said.  
  
Kari followed Tomoyo around the house and this fascinated Kari even more! There were so many things in this place. Paintings, pictures, flowers, musical instruments. amazing!  
  
Finally Tomoyo stopped in front of a wooden door. She opened it formally and once Kari stepped she knew why.  
  
This bedroom had a long, rectangular window that had the view of the beach! It was such an amazing sight. In the centre there was a queen-sized bed with pink covering on it. On her left was the bathroom and on her right was a vanity table. There was a television set, complete with stereo, dvd and many other things. This room was decorated with dreamy drawings like clouds and flowers.  
  
"I could have this room?" Kari asked.  
  
"Yeah, why not. oh by the way, next to this room, there's another room and that's a friend of Eriol's room, it would help a great deal, if you don't bother him, I mean you can talk to him of course, but don't expect much things from him, also don't take it to the heart if he ignores you when you talk, he's like that a lot."  
  
"Oh.ok." Kari said.  
  
"Yeah, now I'm leaving you this mobile phone, incase you get lost. if you press number 1 that's my number, 2 is Eriol, 3 is Sakura, 4 is Syaoran and 5 are the maids."  
  
Tomoyo handed Kari a pink cell phone that had the stars and the moon around it.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Tomoyo left Kari to enjoy the luxuries of this room. Kari soon unpacked all he clothes and put in, into the wardrobe that was provided. She stood in the centre of the room and admired every single thing in that room. All of a sudden, she jumped on to her bed and laughed. She felt so much like a princess.  
  
Thinking about princesses, made her think about Prince Takeru. She still couldn't get his face out of her mind, even at times when she was with Willis. The mystery was still there. How could she have a vision of him when she was remembering Davis? She had a feeling that she hadn't remembered everyone that she'd suppose to remember.  
  
Kari closed her eyes and tried to remember things. She remembered.a rope, a long rope, then a person that looked like a clown, somehow this person scared her, she was on the rope, climbing, climbing, below her, she could see, a little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.a small boy.she didn't know why but when she saw him, her fears disappeared: "Keep on climbing Kari, don't look down." "I'm scared T.K.I can't go on." "You have to Kari, I believe in you."  
  
Soon that memory disappeared and another one entered her mind. She was sitting down on a bench, something was on her mind.the.the.the dark ocean! Kari shivered at the thought of that. Then, a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes also came to the picture. Kari remembered him saying: 'you're gonna quit? Give up, just like that? Look Kari I care to much about you to let anyone take you without a fight!'  
  
Soon, that memory blurred away, just like the previous one. And a new one entered her mind. It was in a garden-like place and she had her head rested on someone's chest. She looked and it. It . it was Prince Takeru!  
  
Kari got up from her bed and paced around the room. What did all this mean? Was Prince Takeru real? Not just a figure of her dream? This all was so confusing!  
  
"I wish I know what this all means!" Kari cried out.  
  
Kari walked to the window and looked out. The ocean waters calmed her down, soothing her soul, relaxing her mind. She admired the rocks on the sides of the ocean. Sometime later on, Kari wanted to go and sit on the rocks and let the ocean breeze give her the dreamy feelings. Maybe, she would remember more too. As Kari was watching this, T.K was watching her from the beach.  
  
He loved every single thing about her. Could that really be Kari? Her features were the same. Oh how he longed to have her back in his embrace, for him to love and protect. T.K could just stand there on the beach, all day long, watching Kari if she stayed that long near the window.  
  
T.K placed his hand on the boat and continued to watch Kari. If that girl was not Kari, then she must be another angel with Kari's features. To T.K's surprise Kari looked down and saw him watching her. T.K quickly turned away and started to paint again.  
  
Kari on the other hand, had the biggest shock in her life! That..that boy, that.that was.Prince Takeru. Wasn't it? Was the day playing trick on her? No.she was almost one hundred percent sure that that was Prince Takeru, and the little blonde haired boy that had been coming back to her memory. Kari had to meet that boy, and talk to him. As she was about to leave, another thought got the better of her.  
  
What am I to say? Kari asked herself. I couldn't just say, Hello, My name is Kari, I'm sorry to bother you, but you look like Prince Takeru and he had been in my dreams for quite sometime, I've also been remembering a boy who looked just like you, could you be that boy?  
  
Kari thought that this was a very stupid thing to say, but if she knew better, this wasn't a stupid thing to say, but indeed the right thing to say. Kari went back to her bed and fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You're going?"  
  
"Of course, I have to.don't worry I'll be back."  
  
"Take care of yourself ok, T.K?"  
  
"Of course Kari, so I can return and be with you."  
  
~*~*~  
  
"I don't know if I should be the one who say this to you but..but.."  
  
"But what?" Kari asked impatiently.  
  
"Well."  
  
"Well what?!?" she asked.  
  
"You know how T.K went on that camping trip to the snow?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You see Kari, oh I can't say it, but I have to, there had been an avalanche, T.K hasn't been found yet.." His voice trailed off there. ~*~*~  
  
"Kari, I missed you so much and I thought I will never see you again, many problems were in my path when I made my journey to see you, but I passed through them so I can set my eyes at the girl that I truly love." T.K said sincerely as he kissed her hair. "Even though other girls wanted to love me I rejected them just for you.I will always stay faithful to you, Kari."  
  
"But.*sobs*, you're dead, T.K.how could you *sobs* still be alive?" she asked, through her sobs.  
  
"Does that matter to you? We're together again, Kari, we can live a life together, like we've always wanted to! I love you Kari and as far as I know, you love me too, we can be together again Kari, I came back just for that, us together again just like the old times.don't you want to be together again, Kari?"  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Oh T.K, I don't know, I know this is wrong, but it feels so right, how can I ever resist you T.K? I might of have fallen in love with Willis, but it seemed so long ago.now that you're here, I realized that Willis was just.a substitute of you.now I know that was harsh but it was the way it is, your facial features are so alike! But T.K, how can I break his heart?"  
  
T.K looked startled for a moment and then smiled at Kari. "If you feel this is right, it's best if you just tell him, you're willing to do this aren't you, Kari?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Kari.Kari. wake up, we're going to have dinner now." Sakura said.  
  
Kari's eyes fluttered open slowly. She looked like as if she was in a daze.  
  
"Sakura.I just had the weirdest dreams." Kari said lazily.  
  
"Yes, yes.but they were just dreams.now, come on, get up, lets eat!" Sakura commanded.  
  
Kari got up from her bed and washed her face. She changed her clothes to a white, cotton dress. Her hair was half up and half down. Sakura led her to the dining room and once she came in, she could almost taste the food by the aroma of it.  
  
All of the food that Kari ate that night was delicious! The desserts especially. They had chocolate cakes with blobs of whipped cream at the top. Strawberries were place on each of the blobs. There were almond and mango puddings. There were so many varieties of desserts.  
  
After dinner Kari excused herself.  
  
"Where are you going?" Sakura asked.  
  
"I just want to take a stroll down the beach, I want to go and get some fresh air."  
  
"Oh.alright then."  
  
Kari made her way down to the beach. The night's gentle wind was so relaxing. Kari stood on the sand and looked at the moon. Maybe, if Prince Takeru was real, he could also be looking at the stars and moon like me. Kari thought.  
  
Kari walked on and found herself near the boat that T.K was painting. She examined it and read the word 'Light + Hope'. Now why did that sound familiar? A hand grabbed Kari from the back.  
  
"Argh!" Kari screamed out in surprised.  
  
Her body was turned and she was face to face with T.K. 


	12. Love is Pure, Love is Beautiful…also…com...

Hey! I know this took a while but school have been really. keeping me busy, so many assignments and the yearly exams are coming, but anyhow, I'm so thankful for all of my readers, you don't know how much your reviews means to me, I hope you enjoy this chapter ^^ R+R!  
  
A Long, Lost Love Chapter 12 Love is Pure, Love is Beautiful.also.complicated?  
  
T.K looked deep into Kari's eyes. Those ruby eyes, those precious ruby red eyes. The one that used to look at him with so much love and hope, but now, it only looked at him with confusion and doubts. Was this really Kari? Could it be? Or was this just another girl that happened to have Kari's every features?  
  
Finally, he let go of Kari and paid his attention to the boat. He got his paintbrush and dipped it into the paint. With so much care he painted his boat, his eyes sometime lingered to Kari's confused state.  
  
Kari's hair blew to the side, her eyes shone out. She lifted her hand to put her hair back to place. She didn't know how much this meant to T.K, she didn't know that he had longed to see her hair being tossed by the wind, she didn't know that he had longed to see the movements of her hands, and she didn't know how much she meant to him.  
  
Kari watched him paint silently, not believing the resemblances of him and Prince Takeru. Down to every detail they were the same! The mysterious look that both of them were blessed with, the amazing blue eyes, the to-die-for blonde hair, everything! She didn't know why, but tears started to burn in her eyes.  
  
Suddenly T.K turned his face towards her, it was then did the tears escape Kari's eyes. She didn't know why, but something in her heart moved when he looked at her with those eyes. The tears wouldn't stop, it gushed out, down her cheeks and down to the glittery sand. Kari tried wiping her tears away, but it was no use. Every time she wiped some of, more tears came out. What was wrong with her? She thought that she might look like a lunatic in his eyes, but deeper down, something told her that he wouldn't.  
  
To her surprise, T.K's eyes blurred with tears. He tried to keep it in but just like her, he couldn't control it. It rushed out, following the same pattern as Kari's tears, going down his cheeks and down to the sand.  
  
"Wha.what's wrong?" Kari managed to ask.  
  
"I'm.I'm sure now, you..you're Kari right?" he replied.  
  
"Yes.yes I am.how did you-"  
  
Before Kari could finish what she was saying, she had been pulled into T.K's arms. He held her really close and really tight. If some other guy had done this to Kari, she would have slapped him right across the face, but something in her held her back. Something told her that this was right, told her that this was how things were supposed to be.  
  
Kari's hand automatically circled his neck; her head leaned on his shoulder. She could feel T.K's sensual lips on her hair, kissing it while burying his nose in it, smelling the scent of wild forest in her hair.  
  
"My gosh, I'm so thankful that I've found you Kari, I want to love you again, I'm sick and tired of just longing for you and never having you, Kari, I love you so much, I think of you every night and day, I have never lived a day without you on my mind, now that I've got you here with me, don't think that I'm going to let you slip away again." T.K said softly to her ears.  
  
Kari didn't reply him she was still confused. She knew now that Prince Takeru wasn't just a character in her dreams but in fact a figure of her memory. She knew that it wasn't wrong when she remembered him when she remembered Daisuke. She knew that those dreams that she had were memories of her past.  
  
Kari moved her head from T.K's shoulders, so she could see him face to face. She could see his longing for her was great, and she could see her reflection in his eyes, she could see that she was longing for him too.  
  
Slowly T.K leaned over and placed his lips on hers. It wasn't long before Kari was responding to his kisses. They were lost in their own sweet and hot passion. After a few minutes they broke of the lingering kiss. Again she leaned her head on his shoulder, she felt so secure in his arms. Even though the night was getting colder, both of them were feeling warm, real warm.  
  
They both heard footsteps coming their way; they both could hear their shocked gasps.  
  
"T.K is that really you?"  
  
"Is that the Kari?"  
  
"It's T.K! It's really T.K!"  
  
"Kari had only been here for a few while and look! She already remembers him!"  
  
Both Kari and T.K didn't answer them. This moment that they had with each other was too special to talk to them. It took the others quite a while before they realized that they were intruding on something really sweet and special. They all left, glancing back from time-to-time.  
  
"Kari.I love you so much."  
  
"T.K. don't expect so much of out me, I'm still a little bit confused and overwhelmed with things, don't expect me to say 'I love you' just now, because I have a fiancé, I'm not sure about things at the moment, but one thing for sure, I know that I really and truly care for you, that's how I'm feeling right now.give me time T.K." Kari said.  
  
T.K's grip on Kari tightened. He placed his lips just above her ears, almost touching it; Kari could feel his breath on it.  
  
"I'll give you as much time as you need," he softly whispered.  
  
"Arigato T.K."  
  
They stayed like that, in each other's arms, by the beach as the sun was just half way down the water, the wind blowing their hair. If somebody had come out and took a picture of them, it would look like a cover of a fairytale.  
  
At long last, Kari broke free from T.K. She looked up to see his face once more while thinking about Willis. She knew that she loves both of them, she couldn't deny that. She knew that one of them would be hurt if she chose one of the other, there was no doubt about that. Confusing. Everything was confusing for her right now. Everything was overwhelming her. Kari looked down to the sand, and then looked at the mansion. She should go back, she really should. If she stayed here too long, there was no telling what she will do with T.K.  
  
"I'm.going to go inside." She said gently.  
  
She walked away from T.K and T.K felt poignant. He wanted her forever and ever! He wanted her to be the one in his arms, for now and forever! He watched her slender figure disappeared into the darkness. He sighed. It won't be easy for Kari. He might even loose her again for the third time.  
  
*Well at least I've seen her* he said in his thoughts.  
  
T.K looked back at the calm ocean. How soothing the ocean could be. He breathed in the ocean air and felt a rush of inspiration. He turned to back to his boat, his eyes scrutinizing the boat carefully. He smiled to himself. Lifted his paintbrush and dipped it in a tin of white paint. With so much care he painted patterns on it, beautiful, magnificent patterns that looked so much like the crest of light. He's smile broaden as he admired the beautiful patterns that he had made. T.K closed his tins of paint and carried them back to the mansion.  
  
~*Kari*~  
  
The moment Kari set her foot on the mansion's floor, Tomoyo, Eriol, Sakura and Syaoran shot her with millions of questions which she did not answer. Kari just shook her head from side to side and walked up the stairs.  
  
Her mind was deep in thought and she didn't pay any attention to anything around her. It wasn't long before she realized that she was lost. She looked from north to south, from east to west. She didn't recognize this wing of the mansion. Oh she was lost in a mansion! Kari fiddled around in her dress pocket to see whether she brought along the pink and purple cell phone but she left it in the bedside table in her room.  
  
*What have you done, Kari?" her mind screamed at her.  
  
"Alright, Kari.don't panic," she said to herself. "It shouldn't be too hard to find your way back downstairs or even better your room.ok.now let's see.all you have to do is walk the way you came."  
  
Kari pivoted and started walking back. After a few minutes she was shocked that the path ahead of her was blocked with a wall, instead there was two passages. She didn't know which one to choose.  
  
*Argh this is so not funny!* she screamed in her mind.  
  
Kari looked from one passage to the other, trying to remember the paintings that she walked past, but she couldn't remember. She scrutinized every detail of each passage way but to her great disappointment she didn't remember anything.  
  
*Argh! Stupid Takeru and stupid Willis!* She said in her mind, blaming them for making her think about them.  
  
Kari took a deep breath and decided to go to the left passage. She hoped and prayed that this was the right way. As she walked on, her head moved from side to side, trying to see anything familiar. Her mind was focused on the things on the sides. By accident she knocked into somebody else. Her body pressed on the other person's body and that made the other person held her on the sides.  
  
"Kari, careful, I might spill paint on your dress."  
  
There was no mistaking that voice, it was T.K's. Kari jumped back and straightened herself out.  
  
"Sor.sorry," Kari stuttered. "Look T.K, I'm lost, I don't know where I am, I don't know where my room is."  
  
"Oh? Didn't Tomoyo give you some kind of cell phone.?" T.K asked.  
  
"Yes, she did, but I left it in my room," Kari explained herself.  
  
"Oh I see, no worries then, just.just follow me," T.K said.  
  
T.K walked on and Kari was left to follow him. She trailed behind him, admiring the state of his body.  
  
*Woah! His body must be better than Willis's.so fit.* She thought, while biting her lip.  
  
Kari felt the urge of ruffling her hand through his hair and to feel his body. But she reminded herself that she was an engaged lady and that she should stay where she belonged.  
  
Not long after, she arrived in front of her bedroom.  
  
"Here you are, next time don't forget to bring your cell phone.ok?" T.K said.  
  
"Oh? Oh yes." Kari answered startled; she didn't realize that they had arrived.  
  
"Erm-, goodnight then." T.K said and just as Kari was parting her mouth to say goodnight to him, he had leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead.  
  
It lingered longer than any other goodnight kiss Kari had ever received before. She could feel T.K struggling whether he should kiss her more or whether he should just stop where he was.  
  
T.K decided to leave it where it was. After all, she is engaged. He lifted his lips from her face, smiled his adorable smile, and left for his room which was next to hers'.  
  
Kari didn't know whether it was disappointment or relief that she felt after he kissed her. Half of her wanted more, half of her was glad that it was over. A strangle of hair fell over her face, she blew it away and entered her room.  
  
Kari went over to the radio and tuned it to her favourite station.  
  
'From the moment you looked at me, And ever since you called my name, You've been everything I've seen, And now I'm caught up in this game.'  
  
Kari plopped herself down on her bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about T.K.  
  
'My mind is spinning round and around, There's something special I have found, Every time I close my eyes, All I can think of is you and me, Oh baby can't you see,'  
  
*It's a wonder* Kari thought, *That songs can match your situation.T.K.I wonder what he's doing right now.*  
  
'That everything you do, Everything you do, Makes me want to go oo oo. Everything you say, Everything you say, Makes me want to go oo oo.'  
  
'Hmm, the concentration in his eyes when he was painting.so.so.breathtaking.' Kari said softly.  
  
'They're trying to build a fence, By saying that this wont last, They tell me I don't have a chance, That everything moves to fast, But every time I close my eyes, All I can think is of you and me, Oh baby can't you see?'  
  
Just then, Kari's actual cell phone rang. Kari jumped off her bed, turned the radio off and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Kari, miss me.?"  
  
Kari could almost feel the smile that had appeared on Willis's face. Kari felt a little bit guilty for thinking about T.K either than him.  
  
"Hey Willis, yeah I miss you .what about you? Do you miss me?"  
  
"Er-, no, not exactly, *laughs*, of course I miss you! It's only been.almost a day, but not seeing you in a day make me feel so lonely."  
  
"*Laughs* Yeah I'm sure Willis, I just don't know what you've been doing today." A melodious laugh followed after this.  
  
"Hey Kari, you know I wouldn't do anything to betray you."  
  
Another pang of guilt washed over Kari.  
  
"Yes I know."  
  
"Hehehe, I don't know about you though." Willis said jokingly.  
  
Kari laughed nervously. "Of.of course.I.wouldn't," she said bit by bit.  
  
"Kari.are you feeling ok..?" A note of worry was in Willis's voice.  
  
"I'm fine, really I am."  
  
"Hmm so is it nice over there.?" Willis asked, changing the subject, knowing that Kari wouldn't like it if he pursued.  
  
"Yeah, it's actually pretty amazing, the beach and everything.and the boat that Ta."  
  
"Ta.?"  
  
"Ta.Ta.Tamara, yeah I think that's her name.well she's one of the maids here, she created this miniature boat that looked so fragile and beautiful, I just fell in love with it.!" Kari lied.  
  
"Oh? Have to see it sometime." Willis answered.  
  
"Yeah, sometime."  
  
"Erm, it's pretty late, you should probably hit the sack Kari."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Ok.goodnight Kari, sweet dreams, I love you."  
  
"Same to you,"  
  
Click.  
  
Kari placed her cell phone on the bedside table and sighed. She felt guilty for lying to Willis. Maybe she should have talked to him about T.K and spill everything to him. After all, he is her fiancé. But she had her reasons for not telling him about T.K. Maybe in her past T.K was someone that he didn't like. Ah she didn't know for sure.  
  
Kari's eyes felt heavy and without changing her clothes she fell asleep.  
  
~*T.K*~  
  
He looked at himself in the mirror; he woke about an hour ago. Now he was fresh and looked pretty happy. He wore a white round hat around his head, a white shirt and white baggy pants. He looked past the bathroom door and to his clock on the wall. Half past eight. It was breakfast time.  
  
'Is Kari awake.? She should be, even when she was twelve she woke up each morning at seven.' T.K thought.  
  
T.K walked over to his bedside table and put on his watch, he was planning to drive over to the city and maybe buy something for Kari. He walked over to his door, opened it and stepped out at the exact same time as Kari did. They both turned and looked at each other, surprised.  
  
Kari smiled at him and said good morning. T.K was speechless. But after a few seconds he got himself back together again.  
  
"Morning.you're early.as always I guess."  
  
Kari smiled at him again and invited him to walk with her to breakfast.  
  
Kari wore a white hair band, a white dress that fitted her body perfectly and white sport shoes. She walked a little bit ahead of T.K and every time she turned around to say something to T.K, her hair would fly around her that made T.K so awed.  
  
T.K offered his hand to Kari and Kari accepted. She walked with him with her hand clinging to his arm just like they used to do when they were younger. This didn't affect Kari as much as T.K did. Kari hadn't remembered everything that T.K and she had done but T.K still has it fresh in his mind.  
  
Together they chatted happily and as they descend the stairs together, to Tomoyo, Eriol, Sakura and Syaoran, they look like a perfect couple! It was clearly written on the two of them that no one knew each of them better than the person next to them.  
  
T.K and Kari walked over to the table and T.K pulled Kari's chair for her. Kari said thank you to him in the way she used to do when ever they were playing some kind of game. This brought a smile to T.K's face, not just an ordinary smile, but a very enchanting, breathtaking smile. It even made Tomoyo and Sakura stop breathing.  
  
*They really are meant to be.* Tomoyo said in her mind.  
  
T.K sat himself on the vacant seat next to Kari's. They both talked happily not really paying attention to any of the other people around them. To Kari and T.K, it was like the old times, happily talking about pointless things that would make them laugh at the end of each sentence.  
  
Tomoyo, Eriol, Sakura and Syaoran watched the two of them enjoying their own little world. The four of them could hardly make out what they were saying, but all of them heard one of the 'pointless thing' that Kari had said; 'Hmm, I have always wondered, why is . pink. pink.? Why is Tuesday..Tuesday?'  
  
T.K answered her question that made Kari laugh really hard. The other four didn't catch what T.K had said but wanted so badly to hear what he had said. What could make Kari laugh so hard and with such happiness?  
  
The breakfast continued to go on like this, Kari and T.K speaking in their own world while the others watched them with so much fascination. As soon as they finished their breakfast, Kari turned to them and looked as if she just realized that they were there.  
  
"Oh.why were you guys so quiet?" She asked innocently.  
  
The other four made a really funny face by accident that made Kari and T.K stare.  
  
"Oh you know, you two seemed to be very happy talking like that so we thought that maybe we should just stay out of the conversation." Sakura answered.  
  
"Oww, I see, erm- T.K and I decided to go to the city together.unless, you guys have something planned for me?" Kari said.  
  
"No.no.it's fine. and anyway Tomoyo had planned a gathering for me, you know, meeting my old friends and everything." Sakura answered again.  
  
"Ok then."  
  
They talked for a little bit longer then T.K and Kari left for the city. Eriol, Tomoyo, Sakura and Syaoran sat together in the lounge room talking about Kari and T.K.  
  
"They seemed . so perfect for each other." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Yes, they do huh?" Eriol added.  
  
"I know they do and trust me, before all the accidents happen.they were like always together, doing everything together, and I kind of miss those times when I would just walk out of the dorm on Saturday morning and see them sitting side by side by the lake, everything looked so perfect then, so.dreamy like." Sakura said while remembering the old times.  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo nodded.  
  
"The only problem is." Syaoran started. "Kari is engaged.and.I don't know what will happen now that she found T.K, it was like this last time, remember? Willis and Kari were happy until T.K came back and then everything just.changed!"  
  
"But Syaoran, that was then.now there's also Melody, things can get very complicated now." Sakura said.  
  
Syaoran nodded.  
  
"Wait? Who's Melody.?" Eriol asked.  
  
Before Sakura and Syaoran started to say anything, the doorbell rang. All of their heads turned to the front door. One of the maids opened the door slowly and in walked the guest.  
  
Sakura's body froze with shock and surprise. Syaoran got up and put on a nervous smile while Tomoyo and Eriol looked at the guest questioningly.  
  
"Hello."  
  
~*T.K and Kari*~  
  
"Oh T.K! This one is really nice!" Kari said above the noisy crowd around her and T.K.  
  
They were in front of a shop called 'Crystal Clear' where they sold beautiful shaped crystals. Kari was admiring one that had a little boy and a little girl, hand in hand facing each other. On one of the girl's hand was a delicate pink flower that reflected the light that shone on it. Everything was crystal clear except for their eyes and the flower. Kari thought that it must be because their eyes showed how much they care for each other and the flower symbolized the love that they had with each other.  
  
T.K bent down to look at it.  
  
"Yeah, this one is very endearing," T.K said gently to Kari's ears.  
  
Kari felt a tingly sensation down her body when he said that to her. He was so close to her that when she turned her head to face him, their lips were nearly touching. She looked at him with a very angelic look on her face. She smiled at him and he smiled back.  
  
"Let's go in, I want to buy it." Kari said and started to walk in but T.K stopped her.  
  
"Erm.Kari.close your eyes and count till err- 40, I have something for you."  
  
"What is it.?"  
  
"It's for me to know and for you to find out." T.K answered tenderly.  
  
Kari shot him with a questioning look but closed her eyes anyway. She started to count.  
  
"1.2.3." she started to say and by the time she reached forty, she opened her eyes.  
  
In front of her was a baby pink package with a darker pink ribbon tied around it. Her eyes moved up from the package to the face that she knew so well.  
  
"My gosh T.K, is this..is this, what I think it is.?" Kari asked.  
  
"Depends," T.K said with delight in his voice, "What do you think it is.?"  
  
"Is it.the crystal that I wanted.?" Kari took the most obvious guess.  
  
"Open it to find out." T.K said and with pleasure he watched Kari unwrap it.  
  
Her eyes widened with joy when she found out that inside the package was indeed the crystal that she wanted. She looked up from the crystal and her face burst with happiness.  
  
Before T.K could say anything Kari was in his embrace. He could feel tears wetting his shirt.  
  
"What's wrong Kari.?" He asked.  
  
"I'm just.I'm just so happy T.K, I haven't felt this way in a long time, I mean, I'm happy when I'm with Willis but.no one but you give me so much joy, no one but you." Kari softly said.  
  
T.K knew right then and there that he was the happiest person alive. Having the girl of his life, having her leaning on him, it was just the best feeling he had ever felt!  
  
"It's so nice to hear that Kari and I feel the same way, are you tired now? Do you want to go back.?"  
  
Kari nodded. She wanted to sit by the beach while watching T.K paint his boat, his amazing, awesome boat. They both walked into the car and Kari turned on the radio.  
  
`Nobody gets too much heaven no more, It's much harder to come by, I'm waiting in line, Nobody gets too much love anymore, It's as high as a mountain, And harder to climb,'  
  
*Wrong* Kari said in her thoughts, today the song didn't suit her situation and she smiled to herself. Before long they reached the mansion.  
  
They walked up to the door and rang the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door. Not long after, the door was opened and they were let in. Kari and T.K both made their way to the lounge room and when they reached it, Kari and T.K both stopped in their tracks.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yamato: What do you think? Shh.don't tell anyone I'm here, Miss CherryBlossom banned me from coming here, but shh! Don't tell her, I'm just here to say that the songs that were in this chapter is songs sung by M2M and I'm telling you, me being a star and all, that the songs are really nice, *grins*, why don't you review this chapter? C'mon, it's the least I can do for Miss CherryBlossom.go on! 


	13. Jealousy and Anger

Hey hey! Yup, new chapter is up and this is really short, for me it is anyway, I have one more exam to do and then I'm free *not from homework though* but I'll try as best as I can to write more and more! Enjoy!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Jealousy and Anger  
  
No one spoke, no one uttered a movement. Everyone was letting things sink in.  
  
"Willis.what are you doing here?" Kari finally asked.  
  
Willis didn't answer her, he was staring at T.K and T.K was doing the same. It was as if something were burning in their eyes, clashing each other with such anger and hatred.  
  
Willis knew that this day would come eventually and that he had decided, if ever Kari and T.K meet again, it meant that they were suppose to be together and that he had to let her go, but now that he actually was facing it, it was too much for him to take.  
  
"Willis." Kari said again.  
  
Willis looked at her, jealousy clearly written in his eyes.  
  
"We're going," Willis said. He stood up and started to walk towards Kari but T.K stood in front of her.  
  
"You're not taking her anywhere!" T.K said defiantly.  
  
"And who are you to tell me what to do? And what right do you have to take someone else's fiancé?" Willis asked icily.  
  
Willis took another step towards Kari but T.K held his arm in front of Kari and they both took a step back.  
  
"Kari! What's wrong? Come on! Let's go!" Willis said.  
  
Kari looked from T.K to Willis. Her lips parted, and then closed. She didn't know which one to choose. Oh life was so unfair!  
  
"Kari.don't leave," T.K said firmly.  
  
"Takaishi Takeru! Step away from Kari!" Willis demanded.  
  
T.K stood his ground and looked at Willis fiercely. No one was going to take Kari away from him, not now, not ever. Sometime during his recovery he had forgotten how joyful and enjoyable it was to be Kari, how she could put a smile on your face by just saying something or simply by just making you look at her. After he experienced this again, there was no way that he could let go of that happiness. Kari was he's first! He claimed her first! No one was allowed to take her away again!  
  
Willis took another step forward and T.K and Kari moved back. Kari studied Willis's face and was horrified with what she saw. Such anger that was never there, such jealousy that had never burned, such enmity that had never appeared had clearly taken over him.  
  
"T.T.K." Kari started to say.  
  
No one answered Kari's whimpering.  
  
"T.K I'll." Willis started to say as he lifted his hand ready to strike, but his hand was held back. He turned to see Syaoran holding his hand back.  
  
"What are you doing? Let me go!" Willis ordered.  
  
"Willis! Chill out! Talk to this through!" Syaoran said.  
  
"Get away from me! What would you know? You never experienced this before! Take your hand off me!" Willis retorted.  
  
Syaoran refused to do so. Willis lost his patience and struck Syaoran on the stomach knocking the wind out of him and it was only by his left hand. Sakura stood up and ran to help assist Syaoran.  
  
"Willis! How could you!" Sakura said as she glared angrily at him, while holding Syaoran with her hands.  
  
Willis didn't answer her because his attention was back to T.K and Kari. Kari looked at him as if she had never seen him before.  
  
"T.T.K, let me go." Kari said.  
  
"What?" T.K asked as he turned his head so he could see Kari's face. "No.I'm not letting you go and-"  
  
T.K didn't finish his sentence for Willis had hit him from the back. T.K's eyes widened as the pain struck him. He lost his balance and started to fall toward Kari. Kari opened up her arms so he would fall against her arms. She bent her legs as T.K's weight fell onto her small arms. The package of the crystal almost slipped out of her hands.  
  
"Willis! Leave him alone!" Kari cried as she helped T.K back to her feet.  
  
"Come with me Kari! Let's go!" Willis said.  
  
"No.Kari.don't go." T.K said.  
  
"Kari! Would you listen to him either than listening to your fiancé?" Willis asked vehemently.  
  
"I.I." Kari started to say.  
  
T.K leaned over and whispered something softly to Kari's ears. Kari's confused eyes turned into one that was hard to describe. It was a mixture of sadness, disappointment, anger and jealousy.  
  
Kari looked straight into Willis's eyes, gave the crystal package to T.K and stepped forward.  
  
"What?" Willis asked.  
  
"Why do you have to hit Takeru-kun and Syaoran-kun? What have they done? Don't look at me like that Willis, don't look at me as if I've done something bad because I haven't, can't you at least show that you care for me?"  
  
"I.I do."  
  
"At the moment you're not showing it! The people you've just hit are your friends, my friends, and you know that T.K is very special to me, you know we have so much history and you know that we haven't met in a long time, you should at least trust me enough to know that I wouldn't do anything that could damage our status together,"  
  
"Kari.I'm.I'm sorry," Willis said. He looked down. Soon he felt two hands cupped his face, his face was lifted.  
  
"You know Willis, I guess I shouldn't have said that, I mean.I was just angry about it, I don't really complain do I when you rush out every time you get an emergency call, though I never knew what the emergency was, from Melody. I would be lying if I say that I wasn't jealous whenever you spend your time with her, heck I don't even know where your status together lay."  
  
Willis shifted his eyes away from her because he felt strongly for Melody. There was this movement in his heart whenever he set his eyes on her. It scared him, it pleasured him. He didn't know whether he loved Melody or not, he didn't know at all. One thing though, he cared for her, he cared so much about her. Sometimes it even felt as if he cared more about her either than Kari.  
  
Kari took her hands of his face and sighed.  
  
"I'm doubtful," she said before she turned around and ran to her room.  
  
When Kari had disappeared out of view, T.K took a look at Willis and then walked out to the beach. Sakura and Syaoran went off to their rooms. Tomoyo went off to the phone in the other room and called her friends to tell them that the gathering party was cancelled, Eriol kept her company. This left Willis who just stood there, his eyes still gazing off.  
  
In his mind, thoughts of confusion and doubts were colliding with other thoughts. What could he possibly do? What could be the sign that he loved one girl over the other? He went over to the couch and sat down, enjoying the comfort it gave him. Willis placed his hand onto his face and groaned.  
  
"Are you ok?" a voice came out.  
  
Willis took his hand off his face and looked up, it was Sakura.  
  
"Yes, yes I'm fine.I'm sorry about what I did to Syaoran, I was really, really emotional," he justified himself.  
  
Sakura walked over to Willis and sat down on the vacant seat next to him. She smoothed out her clothes, left her hand on her lap and looked up.  
  
"It's ok," Sakura replied.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Willis," Sakura started to say. "I've known you, as long as I've known Syaoran, and I guess that's pretty long, don't you?"  
  
Willis nodded.  
  
"I want you to know that if you have some kind of problem I'll be here to help you, no matter what it is, I will try to my best ability," Sakura said.  
  
"Thank you Sakura, to be honest, I need your help now, I - "  
  
He stopped, as he felt another person's presence. He looked to see Kari looking down on him from the steps. There were this mixture of expressions and feelings on her face that he couldn't read. Willis got on his feet.  
  
"Where's everyone?" she asked.  
  
"Doing their own things."  
  
Kari nodded, turned around and went back to her room.  
  
Willis turned back to Sakura and smiled weakly.  
  
"What's your problem?" she asked.  
  
"No it's nothing, don't worry," Willis answered.  
  
The day went by slowly for everyone, every little sound caught their ears. T.K was sitting by the beach until sunset and he didn't know that Kari was watching him from her room. She had this longing in her eyes that no one noticed because she was alone.  
  
Their dinner was very awkward. Kari was the only missing from the table. Tomoyo had arranged the seats so that T.K and Willis was completely out of each other's reach. T.K would look up from his food from time to time to see whether she had decided to come down, he still had the crystal that he gave her.  
  
By the time desserts were served, Kari appeared. It brightened T.K's and Willis's eyes. She walked and stopped just a few feet away from the table. She gripped her hands nervously. She looked straight at Willis's face.  
  
"Willis," she croaked. "I invited everybody over, we have a wedding to plan."  
  
~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Tai: Hmm, CherryBlossom had stolen my soccer ball! Ack! She said that if no one press this button, whatever it is, there will be no chance of me seeing my soccer ball again! Come on for my sake!! Press it!!!!!!! 


	14. Bearing All Of It

Hey! Another chappy up ^^ , sorry again that I took so long to write it but as you can probably tell, I'm busy. I'm always busy, but. it's almost holidays for me, so I will be writing most of the time (if my brother lets me use the computer) Anyway with some of the reviews that I read about giving more of Kari's point of view. and that it doesn't really make sense that Kari chose Willis after all of everything. I'm sorry to say that this chapter doesn't really explain it why, but.in the next chapter. *I think* you will know. ^^ Anyway enjoy!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Bearing All of it  
  
Everyone was too stunned to say anything, even Willis. But T.K was the most stunned person in the room. It looked as if the blood had been drained out of his face, his face had turned ghostly white, the blue in his eyes didn't shine as it used too and he was rigid with shock.  
  
"What do you mean, Kari?" Willis asked failing to hide his bewilderment. "You mean we're having our wedding here?"  
  
Kari nodded at Willis, "I've already asked Tomoyo-chan and it's fine with her, the wedding will be in two months time, don't worry about the wedding dress and your tux, Sora has all that ready for us, she saw me admiring one that she had designed, so she's lending me that and the cake, Mimi will make it here, at this place and Makoto and Yolei are helping me with the caterings, invitations and decorations.Makoto and Yolei and a few others are coming tomorrow.Sora and onni-chan are definitely not though."  
  
"This is great!" Willis exclaimed as he got up and went over to Kari.  
  
As they were talking to each other, they heard the sound of a broken glass and a chair being pushed. Kari and Willis turned and saw T.K walk out, both hands in his pocket. A maid quickly walked over to the table and cleaned up the glass. Apparently T.K was under so much pressure that he squeezed the glass in his hand too hard and caused it to break.  
  
No one followed T.K out because all of them thought that Kari would be the one who would follow him out, all eyes looked at her. To everyone's surprise, she just stood there; staring blankly at the direction that T.K had went to.  
  
"Aren't you going to go after him Kari?" Sakura asked.  
  
"No," she said promptly. She turned and walked back to her room.  
  
As soon as Kari was out of sight Willis gave out a sigh. Without turning his body so he could face the others, he stood the way he was and said, "Tomoyo, may I use your phone? I want to call my parents."  
  
"Sure, there's one in the lounge room," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"Arigato."  
  
Willis walked out of the room and made his way to the lounge room. He spotted the phone immediately. The phone had a red and white cover on the receiver and there was a soft white sofa, sitting still beside the glass table where the phone was. Willis walked over to it and sat himself down on the sofa. He spent at least five minutes just staring at the phone with one of his hand supporting his head that was leaning towards the top of the sofa.  
  
What made Kari decide to marry him? He could have sworn that she looked at T.K with something much more than just ordinary love.  
  
Willis picked up the receiver and dialed Melody's cell phone number.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Melody-chan?"  
  
"Yes, is that you Willis?"  
  
"Yes...."  
  
Suddenly Melody's sweet soft speaking voice turned haughty and jealousy was obvious to notice.  
  
"So you're getting married?" she asked.  
  
"I guess I am," Willis answered.  
  
"Congratulations."  
  
Willis knew that she didn't mean it but pretended that he didn't know.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"What do you want with me?"  
  
"Are you coming with Yolei and Makoto tomorrow?"  
  
"I might, not sure yet."  
  
"Please try to come...."  
  
"Why? You have Kari!"  
  
"Just try to come, please!"  
  
"I'll see."  
  
The line went dead and Willis put down the receiver and covered his face with his hands. He looked the phone again and picked it up and dialed his parent's number.  
  
:+T.K+:  
  
A rock was in T.K's hands, sand was in his shoes. He breathed in the ocean air and then threw the rock into the water and it bounced three times before it sunk into the water. He could just make out the sound of it in the darkness.  
  
Kari's voice seemed to flow in his mind, "Remember T.K that story that we read? If the rock bounces three times it means 'I love you'....."  
  
Love, starts with a kiss and ends with a tear; T.K thought remembering a quote that he had heard. Kari please tell me why you're doing this.have I done something wrong?  
  
T.K could barely see his boat near the shore but he knew that it was covered by a black sheet. He needed to do some adjustments to it. He quickly turned away from his boat and walked inside. He powered walk passed the dining room, passed the lounge room where he saw Willis talking on t he phone and up the stairs to his room.  
  
He slowed down his pace when he was almost there and stopped in front of Kari's room.  
  
He wanted so much to go in there and demand her some answers to his questions, but...it wouldn't do any good. After all she would be busy with her wedding plans and he didn't want to ruin it for her. Without knowing it a tear had escape his eyes, though you couldn't see his eyes because of his blonde fringes and his white, round hat. His pair of eyes was covered by black shadow. T.K walked over to his room and stayed there. He remembered a song that he had heard once and started singing it, very faintly. It caused T.K to shed more tears.  
  
"Sitting here staring at the wall, another lonely tear falls, I'm trying to write you this song, but I can hardly see the page at all....'cause it's breaking my heart, when I look in your eyes, and I don't see me anymore, oh and you're all I'm living for.." T.K sang. "Baby tell me that you still believe, that you still love me, the way I love you, if you take your love away from me, you know I will die, coz I'm not ready for goodbye."  
  
"Baby please pick up the phone, tell me I'm crazy, I got it all wrong, I don't know what I'm gonna do, I don't know how to live without you. you are the first song, my heart had ever heard, and baby I.....I believed every word, you are my heart, my soul, my world....."  
  
"Baby tell me that you still believe, that you still love me, the way I love you, if you take your love away from me, you know I will die, coz I'm not ready for goodbye....."  
  
How lonely T.K felt then, lying in his bed, with just memories. Memories of her smile that used to be just for him, memories of her kisses and her touch, but he didn't want memories, he wanted her in his arms, he wanted to be the one who comforts her when she's down, the one who she will dedicate and devote all of her love too.  
  
T.K got up from his bed and was about to open his door when he decided that it would be useless if he went into her room. There was no point; she had chosen Willis over him. He leaned his forehead on the door and felt more tears came out. He didn't know it but Kari was on the other side of the door. Her forehead also on his door, both of her hands was placed flat on the door.  
  
If anyone had walked past then, they would certainly notice the wet carpet that Kari was on, and her wet socks. They would have noticed her shoulders heaving. She cried her eyes out, trying to stifle down her sobs. Suddenly she heard the door knob being turned and to her surprise the door burst open and she fell straight into T.K's arms. T.K's strong, muscular arms.  
  
"Ka..........Kari....." T.K stuttered as he felt Kari's slender figure against his body. "Are.are you ok?"  
  
Kari looked up from his shoulders and stared at him with her eyes wide.  
  
"Go....gomene...." Kari said, broke free from T.K's arms and ran out and quickly entered her room.  
  
T.K stared out after Kari his hand still in the position when he caught Kari. To think that a few seconds ago his beloved was just there, in his arms, crying on his shoulder. It happened so quickly it seemed like a dream. A dream that he hoped would come true someday.  
  
Was she feeling lonely? Just like he was? Why was she standing in front of his room? Did she want to tell him something? Whatever it was, T.K wanted to know. Without thinking about it more, T.K ran out and opened Kari's room. His heart felt like it had shattered to millions of pieces. Willis was there and Kari was in his embrace, her head on his shoulder, sitting on her bed. Willis was softly and gently kissing her hair.  
  
It should be him there and not Willis! He would do just about anything to trade places with Willis. If only it was his arms that Kari goes too when she seeks comfort, if only it was his soothing words that she needed.he would be the happiest man in the world! But everything seemed impossible now.  
  
Willis looked up and with his eyes he told T.K to disappear! Vanish! With his eyes he was accusing T.K for Kari's pain and sorrow.  
  
T.K was just about to leave when Kari's sobs grew more hysteric. Forgetting that Willis was there he ran up to Kari and kneeled in front of her bed.  
  
To Willis's surprise T.K started to sing. A song that T.K and Kari had made up in their maturing years, they would sing it when one of them started to cry.  
  
"Give me the right, to cry when you're feeling low, show me the way, that you want me to go....if all of the colours in the rainbow isn't enough for you, I'll fly up to space and give you all of the stars too, Coz it hurts me to see you cry, it hurts me so much, I want to see you smile again and brighten up my day, and talk about such and such, because only you, can me truly happy and only you, can be my baby, replace that frown with a grin, into something much like a brim, because if you keep on crying, there's no telling what I will do, just to see a smile on your face...."  
  
Kari looked up from Willis's shoulders and gazed at T.K. Her lips apart, shaking slightly. T.K stared back at her with surprise; she looked like a ten year old girl. Now he felt as if they were in the past, as if they were young again and still kids.  
  
"Now where's that smile, Kari?" T.K asked.  
  
Willis was watching with him with amazement.  
  
Slowly, Kari's lips curved into a smile, a smile that filled T.K's heart with warmth. She leaped up from the bed and hugged T.K.  
  
"Oh what will I do without you, T.K? My one and only best friend!" she cried.  
  
T.K felt a little bit sad that she didn't say what he wanted to hear. But this was good enough, for now. As long as she would still run up to his arms, it was enough.  
  
"Kari, you're choking me..." he joked.  
  
Kari looked at his face and smiled. "Your fault for being an easy target!"  
  
Soon she felt Willis's hand on her back, she quickly let go of T.K and went beside Willis.  
  
T.K's smile evaporated but his face quickly took on a false mask of happiness.  
  
"I better go now...I need some sleep...." T.K said as he got up from the floor.  
  
"Goodnight T.K..." Kari said softly.  
  
"Goodnight to you too, sweet dreams...." T.K said and left quickly.  
  
As soon as he entered his room he collapsed on his bed and fell asleep almost immediately, having a peaceful dream that lasted until the next morning.  
  
..:+Bre@kf?$t+:..  
  
All of them were getting around the clear glass table, talking amongst themselves. To T.K's disappointment Kari hadn't said a word to him all morning. Was she regretting what she said to him the night before?  
  
T.K was feeling too disappointed to really enjoy his breakfast, though it consisted of scrumptious bacon, delightful sunny side up eggs, tasty potatoes and much more. There were so many choices of food and it all smelt so good that Sakura practically ate everything, forgetting the diet that she was on.  
  
When breakfast had ended T.K was the first one to leave, he didn't stay to listen to the chit-chats that they were all going to have, instead he decided to work on his boat some more. As soon as he walked out onto the beach he was greeted with a perfect weather. He uncovered his boat and immediately started to work on it.  
  
Some people from the area came down and admired T.K's work and told him how good the boat was becoming. He didn't know how long he stayed down on the beach, every part on his mind was filled the boat, he didn't even think about Kari when he was working. By the time the sun was up high in the sky, T.K retired and took a break. He went inside the kitchen and grabbed whatever it was that he could eat. He first grabbed a sushi, ate it, took another, ate it and took another one and ate it.  
  
One of the cooks was very close to T.K. She was a middle-aged plump lady that always had her silvery blonde hair tied up in a tight bun. She wore her uniform that consisted of black quarter lengths, a white shirt and a white apron wrapped around her.  
  
"Master Takeru, may I suggest a shower?" she said after placing another sushi on T.K's plate.  
  
T.K grabbed the sushi, ate it then nodded.  
  
"Shower sounds good," T.K said and started to make his way to his room. Just as he was passing the main hallway, the doorbell rang.  
  
T.K watched Tomoyo's butler open the door. In walked four girls and three guys. He recognized them almost immediately. The seven of them were looking around the place, astonished with what they were seeing. Soon enough their eyes landed on T.K. All of their eyes widened when they realized who it was.  
  
"T.K!!!!" They all yelled and ran to him.  
  
T.K smiled happily. Mimi was the first one to reach him and hugged him really tightly.  
  
"Takeru-chan! You're ok! This is so great! I've missed you, everyone has!" she cried.  
  
"I've missed you guys too...."  
  
Mimi let go of him and her face was shining radiantly.  
  
"Izzy, Makoto, Mimi, Melody, Yolei, Davis, and Ken! It's so nice that all of you are here. as much as I love to stay, I need to take a shower.I'm surprised that Tomoyo isn't here to greet you."  
  
Right after T.K said that, Willis and Kari walked in from the lounge room. As soon as they stopped walking, Melody's and Kari's gaze locked.  
  
T.K and Willis realized something really quickly. Just like the two of them before, there would be war between these two girls, the looks in their eyes were just the same as the ones that T.K and Willis had for each other.  
  
|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|~|  
  
Koushiro: The song that T.K was singing was actually a song sung by All4One and it's called Not Ready For Goodbye, it's actually a really good song, I know that Mimi can't stop singing it ^^ . Also when T.K threw the rock to the water it is from a story called "What I did For Love". a very sad, dramatic story that will make you cry. it's actually a Korean story and it's so good, I think you should read it ^^. if you want it, ask CherryBlossom and she'll give it to you. the song that T.K was singing to Kari was made by CherryBlossom.. ^^  
  
..............  
  
Koushiro: Ack! Click the review button! Click it! Coz if you don't.....my laptop is going to explode! Click it! Now! 


	15. Tag, Tag, Tag!

Hello!! How long was it before I updated? Hehehe, I just want to say I'm sorry... ^^ I hope you enjoy this chapter... Don't forget to review!!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
Chapter 15  
Tag, Tag, Tag!   
  
"Melody, nice to see you..." Kari said.  
  
"Same to you," Melody answered stiffly.  
  
Everyone feeling the tension kept quiet.  
  
"Well, have fun guys, I'm glad everyone's here safely...without any accidents happening," Kari said. "Makoto, Yolei, let's go to my room, there's a few things we need to discuss, erm- Melody you can come too ... "   
  
Melody stared at Kari and she could clearly tell that Kari was silently daring her to cower back and say no. But she wasn't the type to back out on a challenge like that.  
  
Melody straightened up and clearly she said, "sure why not..."   
  
Melody studied Kari's face carefully and saw a flicker of respect in Kari's eyes. But as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished almost immediately.   
  
"That's the spirit," Kari said, with little sarcasm.   
  
All except Melody didn't hear the sarcasm.  
  
"At least my spirit is worth living..." Melody muttered under her breath as Kari, Makato and Yolei made their way up the stairs.  
  
Kari turned abruptly. "What's that?!"  
  
"Oww, nothing," Melody said as she shrugged her shoulders.  
  
Kari nodded and turned around and started to make climbing up the stairs again. Melody knew that Kari had heard but Melody showed nothing in the slightest way that she cared, though she felt kind of bad inside. Afterall, they were once good friends.  
  
Melody was about to grab her bags when she felt a hand grabbed her's. She knew whose hand it was. Without looking she knew. There was only one person who could just touch her slightly and make her feel warm all over.   
  
"Yes, Willis?" Melody said without looking.  
  
"Don't worry about the bags, I'll take it to your room," he said softly.   
  
Melody turned her face to the side and looked at Willis. Oh how her heart melted then. By looking at him she fell in love, by looking at him she felt safe but the only guy that had this effect on her was to be wed to her friend. Melody tore herself away from his loving gaze, from his bright blue eyes, before she drowned in them and have no way of climbing out. There was no other guy she loved that could stop her from falling deeper and deeper.  
  
"Thankyou," Melody said softly. Quickly she walked up the stairs after Kari.  
  
Oh Willis, what is it that I have to do to make you mine? Melody asked herself.   
  
After Melody had disappeared from view, T.K excused himself from the rest, saying that he needed a shower which he really needed and that he would be back later so they could catch up with each other.  
  
When he too, disappeared out of view, Willis and the remaining guests were greeted by Tomoyo who apologized repeatedly for not being there to greet them earlier.   
  
Tomoyo led them up the stairs, tracing back the steps that Kari, Melody, Yolei, Makato and T.K had taken. They passed Kari's room and T.K's room while Tomoyo explained what they should do if they got lost. Everyone else apart from Willis and Tomoyo looked around, their mouths slightly agape.   
  
Finally they reached their destination. They were in front of a tarnished door and Tomoyo inserted a key to the keyhole. She opened it grandly and stepped aside so the others could walk in.   
  
It was another wing of the mansion. There were many rooms on both sides and lots of paintings were hung on the sides.   
  
"Prodigious!" Izzy exclaimed as he walked in and explored the wing.   
  
Tomoyo smiled, glad that her guests liked what they see.   
  
"This wing hadn't been used in a quite a while, but it's still in perfect conditions, the maids still come here to give it a good clean, as you can see there are lots of rooms here, you may choose which ever one you wish to use for your stay here..." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Thankyou very much, Tomoyo," Mimi thanked as she opened the door of the rooms, one by one.   
  
"It's my pleasure," Tomoyo replied.   
  
"Willis, you can leave Melody's bags with me, I'll leave them in my room, and later I'll tell them where we're suppose to stay..." Mimi said.  
  
"Alright then..." Willis answered, and left Melody's bags with Mimi.  
  
-+=Kari=+-  
  
"Here," Makoto said as she dumped a few invitation samples on Kari's lap. "These are the ones that you told me to get, just give my dad a call when you know which one you want..."   
  
Kari nodded and looked at the invitations, they all looked very good.   
  
"Which one do you think I should use?" Kari asked.  
  
"It's your wedding, you should choose," Yolei said.  
  
"But I want opinions..." Kari said.  
  
"It really depends on the kind of wedding you want...since your wedding is near the beach and that the party after the ceremony is going to be at the back facing the beach, I suggest this one or either this one..." Makoto said as she lifted two from Kari's lap.  
  
One was a very light blue colour with a parchment texture on it, the other was an ice pink colour, somewhat like an old rose colour with a parchment texture on it too.   
  
Yolei nodded. "Yeah, I agree with Makoto..."  
  
"What do you think, Melody?" Kari asked.  
  
Melody bit her lip and shook her head from side to side.  
  
"I don't agree," she said slowly. "I think this one is better..."  
  
Melody picked up a cream coloured invitation, with an embossed, pearlized roses delicately highlited on the top right hand side and the bottom left hand side.   
  
"It's more elegant, and more erm - richy," Melody said truthfully, for she would really like to have an invitation like this for her own wedding. "Or maybe this one..."   
  
Melody picked up another invitation that had a gracefull swan, pearlized at the top. It also had pearlized water that the swan was swimming on.   
  
"Oh that one," Makoto said. "It comes in two colours, the white one that you're holding right now, or a cream one, the cream is exactly like the other one that you like Melody."  
  
"Cream is probably better for this one," Melody said. "But this one is really good for your wedding Kari, especially if the party is at around seven or eight, I can picture it, it would be really great, and also to make it even better, get a big ice in the shape of a swan and place it on the serving table..."  
  
Kari listened tentatively as Melody poured in her thoughts and opinions. Was she saying her true opinions?   
  
"It's a very good idea... and I agree these two that you chose are really good," Kari said. "But wouldn't you say that this other one is better?"  
  
Kari showed all of them that had captured her eyes, it was a simple one with two hearts entwined together, pearlized at the top. The colour was a bright white.   
  
"I think, this one will give the impression of ... how deeply Willis and I are in-love..." Kari said softly.  
  
Melody shifted her eyes away from the invitation and tried to block out what Kari was saying. It hurts too much to hear that Willis was going to marry someone else either than her, all this time Melody was able to express her opinions because she forced herself to think that Kari was going to marry someone else apart from Willis. But after the name 'Willis' was mentioned, she couldn't imagine it anymore.   
  
"Do you want to give my dad a ring now?" Makoto asked.  
  
Kari looked at the invitation hesitantly, no one could guess what was going on through her mind.   
  
"Just give me the number," Kari finally said. "I'll call him in my own time..."  
  
Makoto nodded and searched for a paper that she could write on while Melody was lost in her own thoughts, as Kari and Yolei were discussing the wedding. Melody snapped out of her thoughts when there was a knock on Kari's door.   
  
"Come in!" Kari said out loud.  
  
The door opened slowly and Tomoyo walked in. "Kari, I just have the best idea what to do to the hall for your wedding!"   
  
That was enough! Melody couldn't take it anymore. She could feel the tears burning behind her eyelids. "I have to go..." she said.   
  
Melody got up quickly and made her way out of the room, and down the stairs. By accident she bumped into another person.  
  
"Daisuke-chan, gomen ..." Melody said.  
  
"No it's coo..." Davis said without saying the 'L'. "Hey are you ok?"   
  
"I'm ok..."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"I'm fine..." Melody said and then she saw the unbelievable look on Davis's face. "Really ... " Melody emphasized, "I'm fine..."  
  
"Ok...I'm taking your word for it..." Davis said as he raised his eyebrows.   
  
"Do you...by any chance know where I can find Willis?" Melody asked slowly.  
  
"Nope, sorry, one thing though, he's somewhere around the mansion..." Davis said and he smiled impishly.  
  
"You're no help," Melody mumbled and walked the way where she just came from, hoping that she would bump into Willis.  
  
As she walked on, she caught a glimpse of a blonde hair. She started running and when she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. She placed her head on his bare back. He was wearing long pants but without any shirt on.   
  
He turned his head slightly to see who it was that had hugged him. "Melody - ?"   
  
Melody looked up and saw his blue eyes. They were not the eyes that she loved so much.   
  
A door creaked opened in front of them. "Tomoyo, I have never been in your room before, it's amazing, and your idea is superb!"   
  
Tomoyo laughed. "Thankyou Kari."  
  
"I can't wait to tell - ... T.K?!"   
  
"Hika...Hikari..."  
  
"Melody?!"   
  
Melody let go of her grip, she felt as if her hands had been burnt. It was the first time she had held someone else apart from Willis. It felt ... strange.   
  
"Err - ... erm- I was just ... " Melody started to say.  
  
To Melody's and T.K's surprise, a strange smile appeared on Kari's face.   
  
"Don't worry about excuses, I couldn't careless..." Kari said, though deep down she felt hurt.  
  
She walked past T.K, her shoulders brushing against he's. As soon as Kari and Tomoyo had disappeared out of their view, T.K turned to face Melody.  
  
"What were you doing?!" T.K hissed, who could not help but to feel annoyed and angry.  
  
"Gomen ... I ... I thought you were Willis ..." Melody said softly, her head bowed down. When she didn't hear any answers from T.K she looked up.  
"I'm really sorry T.K...I seriously thought that you were Willis..."   
  
T.K stared at Melody. "You're still having a relationship with Willis?"  
  
"Not a romantic relationship of course, we're just friends..."  
  
"You sure about that?" T.K asked sceptically.  
  
"Yes! He's happy right now, and that's just enough for me," Melody said. "I'm sure you would want Kari to be happy, ne? I'm sure her happiness matters more than yours,ne?"  
  
"How do you know that Kari is really happy? How do you know that this is what she really wants?" T.K asked vehemently.  
  
"Why else would she want to get married then?!"   
  
"There are things that both of us just shouldn't know..." T.K answered and turned away from Melody and left her more confused then ever.  
  
Melody started walking, though she didn't know where she was going. Not long after, she heard Mimi's voice.   
  
"Willis, Izzy and I will be back later, we're going to go look for T.K," Mimi said.  
  
Then Melody heard the voice that she loved so much. "Ok...I don't expect I'll be hanging out in this wing for too long anyway..."  
  
Melody walked forward and looked to her right, a door was ajar and she could see Mimi and Izzy making their way towards her. Mimi looked so pretty with her long, auburn hair that curled up at the ends. The pink bootleg pants and the white halter neck that she wore suited her body perfectly! Her eyes were the colour of autumn leaves and there were tiny tinks of pink on both sides of her cheeks. Next to her was a handsome smart looking boy, with hair the mixture of amber and red. He wore a loose green t-shirt and a long pair of jeans. They came closer and closer to her, hand in hand.   
  
"Oh hey Melody," Mimi greeted cheerfully. "Choose whichever room you want to have, unless they are already claimed by someone else, your bags are in my room, which is the third one on the left side."  
  
"Oh I see..." Melody said.  
  
"We're going to go and find T.K, you want to come?" Izzy asked.  
  
"Oh no..." Melody said quickly, remembering the incident that just happened earlier. "I think I'm just going to rest for a while..."  
  
"Alrighty then..." Mimi said and then she walked away with Izzy right beside her.  
  
Melody slowly walked in and inspected the rooms, one by one. She passed Mimi's bedroom and looked into each of the rooms, it wasn't long before she found the one that she really liked. The wall was a light shade of pink with fairytale castles all over it, it had been neatly spaced. The bed was in the centre of the room, it had a light lavender bed cover and just on top of the pillow was a doll of Aurora, from Sleeping Beauty. This room was perfect for her! Fairytales! She had always believed in fairytales, and this brought back the memory when she was on stage playing the role of Aurora in the school's play but it also reminded her of how cruel her mother was once were to her. It brought tears of pain in her eyes. She walked over to her bed and sat on it then something caught her eyes. On the right side of the room, there was her bags.  
  
But how? She thought it was in Mimi's room.   
  
"I had a feeling you would like this room, so I put your bags here..."  
  
Melody turned to the doorway and caught Willis's eyes. Their gaze locked and for a few seconds none of them said a thing.   
  
"Willis-kun..." Melody said, just above a whisper.   
  
Just as the words left her mouth, Willis had run to her and had pulled her up to his embrace.   
  
This was something that he had longed, having Melody in his arms once again. Oh Willis what is wrong with you?! His mind screamed at him. You're engaged!! You chose Kari over her! Stop playing with her heart! You've chosen one of the other! Time to let this one go.   
  
Though he knew it was wrong, though he knew that he loved Kari also, he couldn't let go.   
  
"Willis...what are you doing? You know you can't do this..." Melody said softly, though she too, had longed for this.   
  
"Can't a guy hold the person that he cares about?" Willis said with such emotion it brought tears to Melody's eyes.   
  
"Of course you can, Willis, but..."  
  
"But what?"  
  
"You know what I mean..."   
  
Before Willis could answer, the cellphone that was given to him by Tomoyo rang. He inserted his hand to his back pocket and got the phone out.  
  
"Moshi, moshi..."  
  
"Ah Willis my man, this is Davis, come down to the gardens at the back, Ken is teaching us a game that he learned to play when he went to Australia," Davis said.  
  
"Now? I really can't..."  
  
"Come on! Don't let me down! I need you in my team! Everyone is here apart from you and Melody, come on, you gotta play! Even the girls are playing! Yes...even Kari..." Davis said. "Let's have some fun!"  
  
Willis debated in his mind what to do. If he stayed here with Melody, Kari would get really suspicious.  
  
"Ok then Davis, I'll be right down."  
  
"That's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it, uh huh, uh huh..." Davis sang, "That's the wa-."  
  
"Alright, alright I get the point, I'll be down.. hehehe," Willis said, he turned the phone off.   
  
"What is it Willis?" Melody asked.  
  
"We have to go down, it looks like we're going to play a game..." Willis said as he grabbed Melody's hand and took her down to the gardens.  
  
*******  
  
"Ah there's Willis!" Davis said out loud as the figure of Willis and Melody came closer and closer.   
  
Soon both of them had joined the rest, Willis was stunned to see even T.K was there, he thought that T.K would have refused to play. But then he saw next to him was Kari. Of course he would be here. If there was light, there was hope.  
  
"So how do we play this game?" Willis heard Syaoran ask.  
  
"It's not very hard, the game is called Oztag," Ken started to say. "We divide ourselves into two equal teams, I don't know how many players are there suppose to be in each team, so we just...equally divide ourselves. Now each of us will wear a strap around our waist, and on our sides we we'll stick two other straps, one on each side, one team will be red and the other will be green. The object of the game is to pull the tag of the person who has the ball in their hands. Also, from each team, select one person who will be the dummy-half. Now let's just say, that my tag was pulled off by Izzy, I would have to put my ball down and step over it, the dummy-half will be behind me and he or she will grab the ball and if they want to throw it to someone else, they just do that, but if they want to run with it, they tap the ball with their feet and run for it. One thing to note if the dummy-half gets tagged, the ball will go over to the other team, and you must always pass sideways, not forward passes, but backward passes. Now the other team can gain the ball your team had been tagged five times or when you drop the ball, which is called a knock-on , to win a point you must put down the ball at the other end of the field, well in this case...garden...well that's about it, very simple...anyone have any problems?"  
  
The others stared at him wide eyed.   
  
"Err- Kenny-chan," Davis started to say. "Mind explaining all of that to us again?"   
  
Ken patiently told them again, this time demonstrating some stuff. Yolei watched him in fascination and she whispered to the person beside her, "He's my boyfriend you know..."   
  
When everyone understood the game, they divided themselves into two teams;  
  
Red   
Ken - dummy-half   
T.K   
Melody   
Izzy   
Yolei   
Mimi   
Makoto   
  
Green  
Davis-dummy-half  
Willis  
Kari  
Syaoran  
Sakura  
Eriol   
Tomoyo  
  
"My team will kick first!" Ken yelled out as each team went to their side of the garden which was a very large garden, and there was room in the centre of it, big enough for them to play Oztag. "Remember, you either let it roll on the ground and then take it, or catch it! And then start running with it, but if you catch it and let it drop, the ball goes to us!"  
  
Each team stood in a line, a very crooked line. Ken held out the ball that looked exactly like the ball that people used to play American Football with. He placed it on the ground in front of him, stepped backwards and then took a run and kicked the ball.   
  
From the Green team, Davis ran to it, caught it but it slipped out of his hands. Willis took a run and dived under Davis's hands and caught it. Everyone in the Green team cheered as Willis quickly got up and ran across the garden, Davis and Syaoran trailing right behind him. Willis was doing great! He dogded the people in his way who had come running towards him, trying to pull the tag of his strap. But so far, none had succeeded. Now he was halfway and then he came face to face with T.K, who appeared in front of him out of nowhere. T.K smirked, and then with both of his hands he pulled the two tags on Willis's waist. It was time for the Red team to cheer. T.K dropped the tags on the ground.  
  
"One," he said to Willis and walked back to where Ken stood.  
  
"Everyone must stand behind me!" Ken yelled to his team. "Behind me or in line with me!"   
  
Willis grabbed the tags and put it back on his strap. He stepped over the ball and Davis grabbed the ball, tapped it with his feet and ran with it. But his tag was pulled by Yolei. Yolei held his green tag in front of his face, with a triumphant grin on her face. Yolei handed back the tag and Davis grabbed it, feeling annoyed that his tag was pulled by a girl.   
  
"The ball goes to us now!" Ken yelled out. "You were the dummy-half!"  
  
Davis reluctantly handed the ball to T.K. T.K stepped over the ball and Ken grabbed the ball and threw it to the back, and it was caught by Mimi.  
Mimi stared with horror at the ball. She looked from side to side.   
  
"Run!!!" Everyone yelled.   
  
Mimi started running to the other end of the garden. Impressively she dodged Willis and then Davis. But then in front of her was a line of people, impossible for her to break.  
  
"Pass back! Pass back!" Yolei yelled.  
  
Mimi turned her head to her left and instead seeing her team-mates, she saw Davis.   
  
"Oh no..." she said under her breath and *zzrt*, her tag was pulled down.   
  
Davis handed her back the tag and instructed his team to move back while Ken moved his team forward and stood behind Mimi.  
  
"You did well Mimi, you made it halfway," Ken said.   
  
Mimi stepped over the ball and Ken quickly threw the ball to the back. It was caught by Izzy. Izzy started running, passed Mimi, turned to his right, and threw it back to T.K who dodged all the people that came his way.   
  
Almost there, he said to himself. But then he felt his tag being pulled. He stopped and turned. It was Kari.   
  
Kari made a peace sign and smiled at him. He smiled back.   
  
"That's two,ne?" she said.  
  
T.K nodded.   
  
"Move back Kari!" Davis yelled out.   
  
Kari quickly run to where Willis was standing. T.K stepped over the ball and Ken threw it back Yolei. Yolei started running, past Kari, but then she realized that she wouldn't make it with Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol standing in front of her. So she turned to throw it back, with all her might Yolei threw it back. Melody stood there, arms wide open, ready to catch the ball, but before she could do that, Kari appeared right in front of her, and caught the ball instead. Kari staggered back and fell onto Melody and Melody couldn't keep balance so both of them fell back to the grass.  
  
The ball was still cluctched in Kari's arms. Kari quickly got up and ran towards the end of the field, not much people were there to stop her since most of them were too occupied looking at Melody who got up really quickly and started running towards Kari with speed none of the others saw before. It wasn't long before Melody caught up with Kari. Melody, her arms wide, ran and tackled Kari down. Kari, with her arms wrapped around the ball, struggled to get out, but Melody wouldn't let her got that easily. Kari managed to get on her sides and that was enough, Willis was speeding towards the both of them, and Kari wasted no time, she threw the ball patheticaly to Willis, who caught it and ran to the end of the field and scored.  
  
"Wohoo!" Davis screamed. "One point to us!"  
  
As the green team were cheering Kari and Melody was fighting.  
  
"Get off me!!!" Kari yelled out. "Tackling is not allowed!! This is not a contact sport!!!"  
  
"Your fault for falling on me first!!!" Melody yelled back.   
  
"That was an accident!" Kari yelled furiously.  
  
Melody was soon pulled back by Willis while T.K helped Kari to get on her feet.   
  
Davis ran running to them. "She's right Melody, it's not a contact sport, you're not allowed to tackle..."  
  
"Fine! Let's get this game going!" Melody yelled as she walked over to Yolei. "Red team! I want to talk to you!"  
  
The Red team huddled together and listened to Melody carefully. T.K was only half-listening though, he was still wondering about Kari.  
  
"Ok?" Melody asked all of them when she was finished.  
  
They all nodded quickly and got themselves in position. Melody went over to the ball and stepped over it, and Ken threw it back to Mimi. Mimi started running to the other end with Izzy and T.K in front of her, guiding her through. Ken and Yolei ran in front of Melody and Makoto at the far side.   
  
"Pass!" Melody yelled once they reached halfway.   
  
Mimi turned around and passed the ball to Ken, who passed it to Yolei, who passed it to Makoto. Once the ball was in Makoto's hand, she stood still, frozen to the spot as eighty percent of the Green team was running towards her, since everyone else was ahead of Makoto. But they all had forgotten about Melody who quickly ran to the left side.   
  
"Pass!" Melody yelled again and Makoto, snapped out of her act and as quick as a lightning, turned and threw it to Melody, who caught it and ran to the other end and scored.  
  
The Red team cheered as Melody smiled at them happily.  
  
"That's one all," Melody muttered under her breath.   
  
Both of the team made their way back to each of their sides. Kari was about to step over the ball when she stopped and stared at the back door. The Green team turned to look at the back door.  
  
"Looks like I've missed a sort of gathering..."  
  
~~**~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~~  
Takari, Wilkari, Takari, Wilkari, Takari, Wilkari, Takari, Wilkari, Takari, Wilkari, Takari, Wilkari, Takari, Wilkari...  
Which one??  
  
Review Review!! 


	16. Lost Without You

Hmm...how long did it take me to write this chapter? heuheuehu ... Sorry if I took so long, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! I believe that the next chapter after this is the last chapter...I'm pretty sure it will be, anyway, don't worry about that, just enjoy the chapter!!!  
  
A Long, Lost Love  
Chapter 16  
Lost Without You  
  
Kari's mind whizzed. That face was familiar; she had seen it before, but when? Who was this person? Blonde hair and blue eyes, just like T.K and Willis. Kari squinted her eyes, while she tried to remember who this person was. In search of memories, if there was any, with this person.   
  
The Red team noticed the unusual silence and turned their heads around. T.K was the first one who said something.  
  
"Anaki!" he exclaimed.   
  
Anaki? Kari asked herself. If it was true, then how come she failed to remember this person?   
  
"Matt," Davis started to say. "You want to join in the game?"   
  
Matt shook his head from side to side, a playful smile on his lips.   
  
"When did you come back?" T.K asked, as he ran towards his bigger brother, happiness in his eyes.   
  
"We just arrived; Tomoyo rang Miyuki up yesterday night and told us about the wedding that was taking place, so we came back." Matt said.   
  
Matt leaned closer to T.K and whispered in his ears. "Guess you lost huh?"   
  
T.K nodded melancholy then he felt his brother's hand ruffling his hair.   
  
"Don't worry about it, there are tons of other girls out there, some might even be better than Kari."   
  
T.K again nodded, but he doubted that there was any girl out there that was better than Kari. According to his knowledge, Kari was the best girl in the whole wide world. No one, and he meant no one, could take that position away from her.  
  
Matt looked up to all the people in the garden, he recognized most of them. His memory was kind of hazy on Syaoran, Sakura and Makoto. Then his eyes stopped on Kari. His best friend's little sister that had matured into a beautiful lady, the lady that had stolen his brother's heart and had never returned it.   
  
In return, Kari was staring at him too, trying to remember him. To her surprise, he started walking towards her and the nearer he had gotten, the more he looked like T.K.   
  
Again, to her surprise, he hugged her. She didn't know what to do in return.   
  
"Congratulations on the wedding that is about to take place, Hikari-chan, glad you made it out of the coma just find," he said softly.  
  
"Thank you…"  
  
"It must have been fate," Matt continued to say.  
  
"Eh?"   
  
"For you to end up here, you had no idea that T.K was here, huh?"   
  
"Well...no…"  
  
"Believe in fate Kari?"  
  
"Err- yeah, sort of..."  
  
"What about destiny?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess, sort of…"  
  
Matt let go of Kari and stared at her and noticed the confusion in her eyes.  
  
"You still don't know who I am huh?"  
  
"No, all I know is that you're T.K's brother," Kari answered.  
  
"I'm also your brother's best friend, don't worry if you don't remember me, in time you will."   
  
Kari nodded her reply and fell into complete silence. She didn't know what to say to him, after all, in one way, he was still a stranger to her; a stranger that knew so many things about her.  
  
Kari felt herself shudder. It was creepy.   
  
As she was thinking it over, she heard the others greeting someone else. She looked up at the same time Matt turned his head to look at the person who had arrived. In fact, it was two people.  
  
Taichi and Sora.   
  
When they looked up and saw Matt, they made their way quickly towards him. They greeted each other happily, and it was obvious that they all had missed each other very much.   
  
"Onni-chan," Kari said. "I thought you aren't coming today."   
  
"A change of schedule," Taichi simply replied.   
  
"Kari! Come upstairs with me? Do you want to try on the Wedding gown?" Sora asked.   
  
"Sure," Kari replied.   
  
Just as she was walking with Sora, Kari turned around to look at Matt once more. He had this mysterious look to him, and that look was very familiar to her. But still, she couldn't remember him. She turned back and focused her eyes on where she was going. But then she saw T.K. No doubt he had heard about the wedding gown. He had seemed too shrunk smaller.   
  
Kari tore her eyes away from him.   
  
Can't look at him. Painful.   
  
T.K's eyes were set firmly on Kari. His gaze followed her every move until she was out of sight. Indeed he had lost. Indeed Willis had succeeded in taking Kari away from him. After all of the things that T.K had done, after all of the things that he had tried, he still couldn't win her. She was getting married; she would soon become a wife.   
  
When T.K was still together with Kari, he had always imagined them getting married, and raising a family together. They both had talked about their dream house, about how it would look like and where it would be. But now, those talks seemed childish and useless. Kari was T.K's first love and he was hers. They say that first loves were the ones that were unforgettable. It was true, he couldn't forget her, but it seemed like that she had forgotten him. Something that he had dreaded had now become reality.   
  
As he stood there, staring into the empty space after Kari, Matt and Tai had their eyes on him. To think that hope won't be with light, the idea itself seemed absurd. But it was coming true, it was becoming real. It was becoming so real that it scared the two of them.   
  
Tai and Matt were planning to be relatives, but now, that seemed so far away. It was so close when T.K and Kari had been together, but then T.K went on that camping trip that had destroyed everything. One single avalanche could destroy something so precious and valuable. Kari's love for T.K had been one of the victims. And now, there was nothing that either Tai or Matt could do. The decision had been made; Kari and T.K would be separated from each other.   
  
Gradually T.K stopped staring and walked away from the others.   
  
To his boat no doubt, Matt said to himself. He wondered how good the boat was becoming. He had to come down sometime himself to look at it.   
  
***  
The wedding down is great! Kari thought to herself. She fitted it perfectly. While she was dancing around the room in it, she felt like a princess from a fairytale. She was sure that if Melody was the one to be married, she would feel the exact same way. The dress was perfect for either one of them. Their body size was almost the same.   
  
Kari brushed her long brown hair in front of the vanity table. It was then that she decided to look outside the window, for some unknown reason. Kari slid the curtains to the side. Night had fallen; it was a half moon night. It seemed so romantic. Kari looked at the still, peaceful ocean water, and then suddenly she spotted a silhouetted figure.   
  
As he walked to the light, she realized who it was, T.K.  
  
He was walking on the beach, in such a beautiful night, but yet, alone. Unexpectedly, Kari felt sad all over. Her body shook slightly. Maybe she should join him down there; she might even feel better by having his presence.   
  
Kari turned and was just about to open the door, when the door was knocked. She opened it slowly and was face to face with Willis.   
  
"What is it Willis?" Kari asked.  
  
"Can I come in?"   
  
No, not really, Kari was saying in her mind. You just ruined my plans.   
  
Instead of saying the things that she wanted to say, she said, "Sure, come in."  
  
They walked to the window and to Kari's surprise T.K wasn't anywhere to be seen. As she was staring into the darkness, trying to find T.K again, she was pulled to Willis's embrace. Then Willis leaned over to kiss her. She was about to object, but all of her objection was calmed with Willis's passionate kiss.   
  
Unknown to Kari, T.K was still on the beach, and he was staring up at her room. His heart was broken and now it was in the stage that was beyond repair. No more chances of him being with her. He probably should just give up. They looked so, right for each other right then. Kari probably had no more space for him in her heart. T.K turned away from the scene and walked up back to the house. He had lost, no more hope. He should just give up.  
  
***  
One month till the wedding. Everyone was busy with all of the preparations.   
  
"Kari," Willis said. "Have you ordered the invitations yet?"  
  
"No, I'm ordering it tonight, Makoto said, it will take a week before it'll get mailed to the recipients. So we should have enough time."   
  
Willis nodded.   
  
"I'm going down to beach ok? I'm bored just being in the house like this."   
  
Willis again nodded. He seemed distracted that day. It was apparent that he had something big on his mind. Kari thought that it was best if she just left him alone for half an hour or so.   
  
Kari stood up from the couch and bent down to give Willis a quick kiss on the lips just at the same time as when Melody walked in. Melody froze, but gained her composure back quickly and smiled at Kari. Kari returned her smile. For the past few days, Melody had accepted things and now they had been pretty good friends.   
  
Kari excused herself and walked out to the beach. The beach itself was like a backyard to Tomoyo's mansion. Kari's bare feet grazed the sand as she walked along the beach, enjoying the bright, sunny day.   
  
While she walked on, T.K was leaning against his boat, looking out to the ocean.   
  
A month had passed since he saw Kari and Willis in a deep kiss up in Kari's room. He had kind of given up but every time he saw her, he felt a longing that couldn't be overcome. He needed her; he won't be whole without her.   
  
T.K turned his head to the side and saw Kari, approaching his way. She looked so much like an angel then, wearing the long white dress, her feet on the wet sand. The ocean water was just brushing against her ankles, her dress flying to the sides and her brown hair flowing to sides also.   
  
Kari lifted up her hands to brush the hair out of her eyes. She continued to walk on until she reached him. They both stood in front of the other, staring deep into each other's eyes. Then surprisingly, T.K grabbed her hand and pulled her to his embrace. He held her really tightly, his nose smelling her hair.   
  
Tears had sprung to T.K's eyes. Kari tried to be emotionless but she couldn't control it, and started crying on his shoulder.   
  
"Kari, my Hikari," T.K was saying. "I'm not planning to be in your wedding do you know that?"   
  
Kari broke free from his embrace and stared at him. She could see her pathetic reflection in his eyes.   
  
"Why? I want you to be there, I need you to be there!" Kari exclaimed.  
  
"Why do I need to be there, Kari? It will only kill me to see you getting married!" T.K cried out.  
  
"Because…because, I'M LOST WITHOUT YOU!" Kari wailed.   
  
T.K looked intently at her, stunned to say anything, the tears trickling down his cheeks.   
  
"I'm lost without you too, Kari, I need you and if you really need me, then sail away with me…come with me Kari."   
  
"Sa…sail…sail away?" Kari stuttered.  
  
"Yes, come with me, we'll find a new place and we'll live happily ever after, we will be together forever!"   
  
"But…but the wedding…"  
  
"There will be no wedding, Kari," T.K stated.  
  
"No…..no wedding?"   
  
T.K nodded. "What do you say, Kari? Do you want to come with me?"  
  
Kari hesitated. She heard T.K took a deep sigh.  
  
"I'll give you till your wedding day, because my original plan was to sail away on your wedding day."  
  
Kari didn't reply him, but instead she ran. She ran as fast as she could back to the mansion. She wasn't allowed to say yes, she wasn't even allowed to consider it. Kari ran to find Sora, she needed advice. Kari went up the stairs and went to the wing where all of her friends were staying before the wedding. Kari ran on the left hand side and stopped when she saw, in one of the rooms were Melody and Willis.   
  
Kari could just make out what they were saying.  
  
"What…what do you mean, Willis?" Melody asked.  
  
"I meant…how…how can I marry Kari when I just realized that it's you who I love?"   
  
Kari leaned her body against the wall and shrunk down to the floor and she cried. She cried as she had never cried before.   
  
***  
  
Taichi: Press this button? No...yes? Yes??!!! YES??!!!! PRESS IT! oh yeah, and review it ^^ 


	17. Shi Ke Peng You Hai You Shi Ke Qing Ren

Helloo!! I know I know..this took like over a month for me to write and I'm greatly sorry for that, I hope you can find it in your hears to forgive me...  
I'll be moving over seas soon...things around the house had been pretty hectic...not mentioning the 6 assignments I had to do.. and my friend's birthday parties..so yeah..well ..  
Here's the last chapter of A Long, Lost Love..the name of this chapter is chinese...meaning Four Friends and Four Lovers  
I hope you like the ending!!! Don't forget to review!  
A Long, Lost Love  
Chapter 17  
Shi Ke Peng You Hai You Shi Ke Qing Ren  
  
Kari was gripping her head with her two hands, feeling very betrayed. How dare Willis chose Melody when they were just a little bit less than four weeks away from their wedding? How dare he tell Melody first? Why didn't he come up to her and try to solve this out? This was wrong, this was not happening, this was not reality!   
  
She had to leave this wing incase they find out that she had heard. Half of her wanted to go up there and made sure that they pay for the stress that they had caused her but the other half of her wanted to hold on to this engagement. She didn't want to ruin her wedding now that it was so close. Time was ticking, sometimes monotonously, sometimes interestingly. Sometimes everything goes so fast, sometimes it goes so slow. But her wedding was just a few weeks away! And how could she let anyone destroy it? How could she let anyone destroy her happiness and joy?   
  
But somewhere deep in her mind, a little voice spoke up. A voice that had not spoken in a long time. Was this really what she wanted? Did she want to spend the rest of her life with Willis? Did she want to be called Mrs. Williams Willis ? Or did she want to be Mrs. Takaishi Takeru instead?   
  
Nonetheless she had to get out of that wing. Kari got up quickly, trying so hard not to think about her situation. She ran as fast she could out of the wing, but tried to make as little noise as possible. Once she was in the safety of her room, she collapsed on her bed and continued her crying.   
  
Should she give up her wedding? Should she admit defeat and give Willis to Melody?   
  
Kari covered her face with her hands, trying to block reality. But she couldn't, she knew she couldn't. When will Willis tell her the deplorable truth? When?   
  
Kari didn't realize how tired she was but suddenly, she was swept off to the world of dreams and fantasy. She was now, in another world; the world of dreams.   
  
***  
T.K could somehow feel a movement in Kari's room though he was still down on the beach. He looked up to her room; her curtains were still, so he couldn't really tell whether there was anyone up there. But something was nagging him; something told him that something wasn't right. Maybe, maybe an accident had befallen on her.   
  
No T.K, he told himself. Stop jinxing!   
  
But T.K couldn't drive the odd feeling away. He was scared, so scared that something bad might have happened to Kari.   
  
Imagine if she lost her memory again, she would not remember him again! Then for the first time, T.K realized something. Is their love so great and so powerful that Kari could remember him straight away? T.K remembered when they finally met each other down on the same beach for the first time after so long, she remembered him almost instantly! If they could overcome that why couldn't they overcome this? This marriage that wasn't supposes to take place?   
  
Even so he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had.   
  
T.K abandoned his boat and the peaceful water, and ran inside, not caring if he knocked anything or anyone over. He passed Mimi when he was running up the stairs, she was just about to say something but she changed her mind when she saw that T.K didn't even realize that she was there.   
  
He kept on running, not feeling the confused gaze from Mimi on his back. He was running so fast that it was hard for him to stop in front Kari's room. Instead he passed her room first before he could actually stop. He traced his steps backwards and soon enough he was standing in front of Kari's room.   
  
T.K lifted his hand to knock, but should he even bother? What if she didn't let him in? Or even worse, what if she couldn't let him in?   
  
T.K brought his hand back down to the door knob. He half expected that the door would be locked but to his surprise, it opened quite easily. It opened without a sound. T.K didn't know whether that was good or bad. He stepped inside and looked around her room; he had only been there once before. It hadn't changed much.   
  
Then he saw Kari's body on her bed. She was covered by a blanket and her hair was spread out like a fan.   
  
A sudden ease warmed T.K all through his body.   
  
He shook his head from side to side. He shouldn't be worried, she's ok. T.K stood in the stillness but yet, warming room, just watching Kari with a soft look on his face. He noticed some slight changes on Kari's face then. It didn't have that soft happiness look anymore like it used too. Usually, no matter what the situation was, she still radiated with beauty and happiness. But somehow, while he gazed longingly at her face, it didn't have that anymore. Though no matter what, to him Kari was beautiful. If somebody had told him that Kari wasn't as beautiful as she used to be, he would look at them as if they were insane.   
  
Most likely she was like this because of all of the things that both he and she had went through.   
  
If only he never went on that stupid camping trip, if only he stayed with Kari; none of this would have happened. Willis wouldn't be in their lives and none of these accidents would have happened. It all came down to the snow camping trip. How T.K regretted for going, how he wished none of this have happened. But regretting was useless and T.K knew that. There was nothing he could do about it.   
  
T.K started to walk back to the door, though he wanted to at least, just hug her. But he decided not to incase he woke her up. He turned and opened the door. He held the door knob as it opened inwards, turned back to Kari, sighed, and then walked out of the room.   
  
T.K closed the door as quietly as possible, and when he turned to go to his room, he saw Willis standing just a little bit further away from his room.   
  
T.K was surprised, but yet felt something wasn't right. If this was the Willis that he knew, Willis would have already marched up to him, and demanded what he was doing inside Kari's room. But instead, Willis just stood there, not doing anything. His eyes though, his eyes were watching T.K intensely.   
  
Suddenly, Willis massaged his forehead with his right hand, and walked away, leaving T.K very confused.   
  
He shrugged his shoulders. The people inside this place just kept on getting more and more strange each day.   
  
T.K opened the door to his room and turned on his CD player on the other side of the room. Music came out smoothly.   
  
Futari ga kitto deaeruyouna mahou wo kakete  
Ryoute wo sotto kasanetehora hohoemukara  
To make sure the two of us meet, I cast a spell  
Our hands are gently touching, and then look at me smile  
  
Honto no kimochi kitsukanai furishite  
Totsuzen futari koi ni ochitano  
Let Me Be With You  
Let Me Be With You  
Let Me Be With You  
Dakishimetaino  
We pretend not to realize how we really feel  
And suddenly, we fell in love  
Let Me Be With You  
Let Me Be With You  
Let Me Be With You  
I want to hold you tight  
  
T.K collapsed on his bed and without intending to, he fell asleep with the melodious music playing over and over again.   
  
***  
  
Kari woke up, feeling that the implausible thing that she saw earlier was just a dream; a nightmare. She turned to look at her window, the sun had fallen; it was replaced by the beauty of the moon.   
  
The door to her room creaked to indicate that someone was coming in; Kari turned around to see who it was. Her heart immediately beat faster as she saw who it was. If only he didn't look so troubled, she probably wouldn't have felt so nervous. He was closing the door behind him, his face facing the door. But Kari could see that his hands were shaking as he held on to the door knob. He didn't turn to face her until a few seconds later. By that time, Kari felt like she was about to have a heart attack. She couldn't stand the tension in the room.   
  
"Willis-kun," Kari softly whispered.   
  
He offered Kari a weak smile, but that soon faltered.   
  
Willis walked over to where she was sitting and sat beside her. The springs on her bed made a little squeaking noise as it supported the new weight. Although he was right beside Kari, he didn't face her. He faced the white curtains instead while Kari was facing him.   
  
Willis's left hand traveled to Kari's right hand that was positioned on her lap. He squeezed it tightly. In his mind, he was saying the things that he wanted to say to Kari. If only it was as easy as saying it in the mind.   
  
"Hikari-chan," he said quietly.   
  
"Mmm?" Kari said, trying to sound as casual as possible.   
  
Willis finally turned around and looked at her.   
  
It was her eyes, her eyes betrayed her feelings. Now she was exposed, he knew how scared she was feeling.   
  
Though Willis didn't know what she was scared about, he made a decision. After seeing her face, he couldn't say it. He was a coward, he knew that, but he couldn't say it.   
  
Unexpectedly, he pulled her to him; his hand holding the back of her head, his other hand around her waist. Maybe he'll tell her another time, but for now, he just wanted to hold her.   
  
"Willis-kun," Kari said again, as she blinked her tears away. "Ano…"   
  
"No, shh, don't say anything, I just want to hold you, is that ok? Just for a little while then I'll go to my room, just…just for a little while…it's ok right? Ne, Kari?" Willis pleaded.  
  
"Yeah, it's ok..." Kari said, as she snuggled closer to Willis's body.   
  
If he was going to tell her, Kari thought, this would probably be the last time she would be in his arms. Would she miss the scent of his body? Would she miss the security that he had given her all this time?   
  
Kari sobbed quietly on Willis's shoulder. She knew then, that she really loved him and that she would miss him greatly if they were to part. But, she also knew that if she married him, she would really miss everything about T.K.   
  
It was then that she realized how selfish she was. She couldn't keep both of them, she had to choose, Willis had to choose. But whom she would choose, or whom Willis would choose, she didn't know. Only time will tell.   
  
Only time will tell. Those four words lingered in her mind. Just how much more time that she and Willis had? How many seconds could they bear to spare?   
  
She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt movement from Willis. Willis had pulled her apart from him gently. They looked at each other for a moment, and then Willis tilted her chin upwards and kissed her softly.   
  
Kari felt the sadness in him then, the kiss was sorrowing, and it was almost like a goodbye kiss. She knew she was torturing him, she knew that by him feeling her presence tortured him. It kills him to think that he was going to break the engagement. It kills him by just thinking about it, let alone doing it.   
  
Kari was the first one to break the kiss. Willis's hand was still on her holding her chin. She gazed at him, deeply. Willis looked away guiltily.   
  
"I'll go now…" Willis said just above a whisper.   
  
Kari watched him got up from her bed and walked towards her bedroom door. She didn't know whether she should stop him or not but before she decided, he already left the room.   
  
Kari walked over to her door, opened it and walked out. She turned to her left, then to her right. Willis was just making his way down the corridor to the stairs. Kari decided to walk the opposite way. While she walked she was remembering the past that she could remember. Things were falling back to place; she even remembered some of the things that she hadn't remembered before. The memories were playing slowly like an old movie.   
  
By thinking about this, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Accidentally she crashed right onto Melody who was walking from the opposite direction.   
  
"Gomenasai!" Kari said out.   
  
"No, it's my fault too, I wasn't really paying attention either," Melody quickly answered.   
  
They smiled at each other in the uncomfortable silence.   
  
"Melody…" Kari started to say. "Your last name…it's Asuen right?"   
  
Melody nodded. "Yeah, why?"   
  
"Nothing, it just popped up to my mind." Kari answered quickly. "Do you like how the decorations and everything else are turning out?"   
  
Melody nodded vigorously. "Yeah! I love it! It's so perfect, and your wedding dress is just amazing, I hope my wedding will be as good as yours…"   
  
Kari beamed, "I'm sure yours will be just as great."   
  
No, not so great. Melody thought silently. Not if Willis ended up marrying you; what's the point of a marriage if you don't get married to the person that you love? What's so great about that? If you take him away Kari, if you succeeded in fully capturing his heart, then, my wedding won't be as great as yours, and I don't know if I can fully forgive you. Sure, you met him first, sure you had his love first, but do you think you will be happy when you marry him? Do you think 'he' will be happy? Sometimes I wish I can hurt you in a way so that you won't be able to marry him, but I know that's too cruel, too mean, and too ruthless. But sometimes you make me so jealous, so evil-like. You have the potential of bringing the worse in me. I want him Kari, I need him. Free him! Free him from you! But most importantly, free yourself from him; because you can't free him from you unless you free yourself from him.   
  
"Melody…are you ok?" Kari asked.   
  
Melody looked up, her lips slightly apart. She didn't know how long the silence went on but she knew that she was the one who broke it. She exploded on Kari without even considering the consequences; she exploded because she kept too much inside.   
  
Melody exploded in away that didn't include yelling. In fact, her voice was steady, very steady. But the sharpness and the way she said it, was just the same as somebody yelling. Her voice was icy-cold. The pain and the jealousy that she felt had finally been freed from her heart. Once it was out, it couldn't be taken back.  
  
"Have you, ever, been in my position? Have you…ever, felt the jealousy and the anger I've felt? Have you, ever, been hurt the way I have? No, I don't think so, because girls like you, gets whatever they wish, but me, me! I don't get anything I desire, I don't. Unlike you, who have two guys that you can play around with, two guys that will do whatever you ask them to, unlike you, who has a bigger brother who cares so much about you, who loves you fully, who will protect you no matter what at all costs! Unlike you, who have parents who are still together, still alive! Who had always treated you in the way parents should treat their daughter! But me Kari, I have experienced hardly any of this!"  
  
"You never knew anything about my past! None of it! Well let me tell you, let me tell you the tragic tale of Asuen Melody, the greatest actress of all time to have survived this long! My parents are dead! Dead! I'm an orphan! My dad died in a plane crash when I was about eleven, twelve years old. Did I get a say whether I wanted my life to change or not? No! I didn't! After his death, my mother, my own mother, my biological mother, treated me as if I was trash, dirt that needed to be thrown away. I felt hurt, I felt like thousands of hands were slapping me, non-stop, never giving me a break."  
  
"You know, normal wives who had just lost their husband would grieve, grieve for quite a long time, but no, not my mother. A couple of months later, she met a man, a man whose name I will never forget, Darren. Along with him he brought two children, a boy who is the same age as me, Kevin and a young daughter named Lana. Sometimes I still question myself at night, what was my mother's reason for marrying such a brutal, cold hearted man? Approximately three months after my dad's death she married him. Did she choose to do that deliberately so she could hurt me? So she could torture me? The next biggest question is why? Why did she want to hurt me? What have I done? I've always been good, I've always been obedient. But that wasn't enough for neither my mum nor my step dad. They abused me. For no particular reason I get beaten up, for bringing a good report they accuse me of cheating, not mentioning the fact that they made sure I go back to the teacher and tell them that I was cheating."  
  
"Do you think that that is fair?"   
  
Kari shook her head from side to side. It was the first time she made a movement after Melody blurted her past.  
  
Melody smirked. "No you wouldn't think that's fair, no one would unless they're mentally sick. But Kari, that's not all! My step brother, he wanted me, he needed me to serve his lust. I never gave in, I survived. Amazing don't you think? In a house where everyone despised me I still managed to survive this long. After I received the worst beating in my life, for something, again, I didn't do, I decided to persuade my mum to let me to go to a boarding school, our boarding school. She thought about it, and realized that it would be good if I left. Till this day, I don't know whether she was doing it for me or for herself. I knew I was starting to look a lot like my dad, and I knew that deep down it hurts her to see me get beaten up, so I don't know whether she let me go because it would be better for me, or whether it would be better for her."   
  
"Well then here we are! We know each other, you, Sakura and Makoto see me as just another normal girl. But I'm not; my dad's death changed my normal life to become a nightmare. But at least, I was happy being with you guys. For once people accepted me, for once no one thought I was cheating when I received the highest mark in every subjects, for once, for once I could walk around, proud of being 'me'. When I was living there, in the same dormitory as you, I saw T.K. I saw the way he treated you, I saw the way he talked to you, I saw the way he looked at you and just once, just for once I wish somebody would look at me in the same way T.K looked at you."   
  
"And then the news of his accident came, I felt just as hit as you did, but I didn't show it, because I like to think that I'm immune to grief, to sadness, to tragic events. But that's just a whole lot of crap, because I know I'm not like that. Next after this news, we come across Willis. I saw him walk out of the bus, just at the same time you did. What made me mad was that he looked at you and not at me when I was standing very close to you. His gaze passed me and fell onto you. Why? What was it that you have and I don't? Life is so unfair, so damn unfair. You get everyone, you get all of the attention, but I don't. Never in my life! And I feel so wounded."  
  
"It had always been you; you're the one who always wins. So soon after T.K's accident you found one that was so much like him. When Willis walked past me but stopped in front of you, I felt so jealous. I walked away back to the dorm while you, get the pleasure of being with him. I wanted peace in the dorm but instead I got the phone call, the phone call that confirmed T.K's death. I did feel sorry for you but probably not as much as the others, because I've suffered so much more. When you ran to the dorm to receive that phone call I was given the chance to be with Willis. I knew it when I was showing him around that there was something about him that made me instantly love him. But you didn't see this special thing in him, and yet you're the one who he wants. When I was with him I knew he was eager to get back to you."  
  
"Well lots of things happened afterwards but my feelings grew and grew, though I made a vow not to love someone, but I couldn't help it. I just couldn't. But you, you made him love you the way I want him to love me. But then at that time, his eyes were only for you, his smile was just for you, everything of him was just for you."  
  
"Remember the misunderstanding that happened? I was happy when I could pretend to be you. For just a while Willis held me, he kissed me, he gave me the attention that I had long yearned for. But again, you did something to take him away. You lost your memory which made him thought that he could win your heart back from T.K who came back from the dead. But I knew he couldn't, one because I thought you and T.K belong together and two, because I won't let him. Why? Because I want him, but that didn't succeed, because he made you love him."  
  
"I had doubts then, I had thought that your love with T.K was the greatest love of all, for a while, I doubted that I will ever get Willis back. But fate brought you here, brought all of us here, and you met him! Doesn't that tell you something Kari? You're not supposed to be Willis! You belong with T.K! You can be so selfish Kari."  
  
There it was, all said. If Melody had any regrets for saying it, she didn't show it. Her eyes were blurry, because she was angry, so angry and so sad. But she just continued to stare at Kari who stared right back at her.   
  
After Melody said those things, more of Kari's memory came back. The terrible phone calls that she received from her brother, when she first met Willis, when she received the most dreaded phone call, when she sung in front of the school dedicating the song to T.K, when Willis proposed to her but Melody hardly said anything, the misunderstanding that made her happy for a little while, the girl that saved T.K who came into the picture just after she was reunited, the terrifying car that came her way to destroy all of that away, the voices around her telling her to get better…but most of all, the face of an innocent child at the age of eight.   
  
He told her to keep on going, he told her not to be afraid, he told her to keep on trying, and he told her not to cry because if she cried, he would cry too. She remembered him giving her his ice-cream because she dropped hers, saying that he didn't like ice-creams much anyway, though deep down, he loves ice cream. She remembered when he was supposed to be tutoring her with her English work but ended up having pillow fights instead. He took all of the blame himself; saying that it was his idea and that he kept on distracting her from her work. Every time she tried to take some of the blame he turned to face her, his eyes deadly, butting in to what she was saying all the time, "No Kari, don't try to lessened my punishment, you know it was all my doing." But the truth was… it was her doing. She was the one who craved for some fun and excitement and he didn't have the power to say no to her.   
  
"You're right Melody, I am selfish, I'm really, really selfish," Kari started to say. "And I really feel sorry for all of the things that you went through; I really do, because I would kill anyone who is still doing those kinds of things. And I know that life is unfair, so unfair. I can see why you're so angry at me, and you think that the world is unfair because I get everything, and that I always get what I wanted and that I always have a say with what I want. But that is so not true. Did I have a say when the avalanche was coming to get T.K? Did I? Did I want that to happen? I really didn't want that to happen because if it didn't happen we wouldn't hate each other, none of us would have been hurt, but this is fate, and fate did this for a reason and there's nothing we can do to change this, because it had happened and things are starting to fall back to place."  
  
"So are you telling me…" Melody started to say. "That you're going to marry Willis after all?"  
  
Kari didn't answer her, but instead she walked over to Melody and hugged her.   
  
"I'm sorry Melody, if I hurt you, I didn't know that my actions were slowly killing you inside, ripping our friendship apart. But I'm going to try to make it right again between us, because I really value our friendship, and I'll try anything in my power to revive that friendship."   
  
No you can't Kari. Melody thought. If you don't give up Willis, you can't restore our friendship. I'm sorry; I know I'm just being as selfish.   
  
The two girls now had tears in their eyes, knowing how hard it would be to get their friendship back.   
  
Footsteps behind Kari made them turn to look. It was Willis.  
  
He looked really nervous as he approached them, he questioned Melody with his eyes, whether she told Kari or not.   
  
"Kari, it's late, you should go to bed..."  
  
Kari nodded, though she knew that it would be hard for her to get back to sleep after all of the events.   
  
"I'm going to call Makoto's dad now, to ask him for the invitations, is that ok?"   
  
Willis looked at Melody and he slowly nodded. Melody's eyes widened and she turned away from the two of them.   
  
"Call away." Willis said softly.  
  
Kari walked in the direction of her room and Willis walked in the direction of his room.   
  
***  
Melody's words made Kari understand what fate wanted, what she wanted. Because of the things that Melody had said helped Kari to realize a few things. Now she knew who she really belonged with, but the others didn't. She knew what she wanted, the others didn't. Her decision will come out into the open on her wedding day, whether she would be wearing the wedding dress and walking down the aisle or whether she would be running down to the beach, running to T.K.   
  
Willis tried to tell her, he tried to tell her who he really loved, but he never could. She past an empty room once, but it wasn't so empty because Willis was in there, practicing what to say to her. It was a nice speech too, but he never said it to Kari; never had the guts to.   
  
But even if Willis said it to her, it wouldn't really matter, because she had made her decision. She had decided who she wanted, who she wanted to be with. She had only discussed it with two people. Two people who knew what was going to happen on the wedding day. Those two people were Sora and Mimi. They understood completely what Kari wanted, and they supported Kari all the way. No matter what Kari would have chosen, they would still support her.   
  
Both Sora and Mimi swore to secrecy. They promised her that they wouldn't tell anyone and Kari of course trusted them. They were like miniature mothers to her; she would trust them with her life.   
  
They were only a few days away from the wedding now, everyone was anticipating the day, to see what was going to happen.   
  
Kari started to work on the letter that she was going to give to Melody explaining all of the things that she feels about well, everything. Her paper bin was over flowed with scrunched papers, but by late the next night, she finished her letter. Funny though, the letter didn't consist much, it was a pretty short letter but it took her two days to write.   
  
They were only a couple of days away from the wedding. Kari decided to give the letter the night before the wedding, so everything will fall to place correctly.   
  
Kari thought that the best time to give the letter would be after dinner. Everyone was so quiet through out the night. On the dining table it seemed like the food that Melody, Willis and T.K were eating had no taste. They never looked at anything else apart from their food. They would pick at the food, stab it down the fork, played around with the potatoes, and then finally put it inside their mouth. They swallowed the food as if it was such a great task.   
  
Everyone else respected the fact that they were under stress, though most of the people didn't understand why Willis was so stressed. They kept quiet throughout the dinner, minding their own business.   
  
Melody was the first one to leave; she didn't even wait for dessert.   
  
Kari, seeing this as an opportunity, left one minute after Melody. All of the people except for Sora and Mimi questioned her with their faces but Kari just ignored it.   
Kari walked at a normal pace but Melody must have been walking very slowly because just half way up the stairs Kari could see Melody's back. Kari jogged to catch up with Melody.   
  
Kari tapped Melody's back and Melody turned back, surprised. Once she saw who it was, she looked half angry, half nervous.   
  
"What?" Melody asked.  
  
Kari didn't reply her, but instead she inserted her hand into her pocket and got out the letter. She urged it towards Melody who took it reluctantly.   
  
As she was reading it, Kari slipped away. It took Melody a few minutes to read the letter and once she was finished, she had tears in her eyes.   
  
She looked from side to side, looking for Kari but she couldn't find her. Melody looked in her room but she wasn't there. She searched the whole second storey of the mansion but still couldn't find her. Melody definitely didn't want to go downstairs, so she decided to find her early tomorrow morning.  
  
Melody, somehow managed to make her way to her room before she broke down. She threw herself on her bed and cried.   
  
"Oh my God...Kari..." she said softly.  
  
***  
Tomorrow is her wedding, I can't believe I'm not going to be the guy who will be waiting for her at the front, I can't believe 'I'm' the guy who is trying to get her to run away on her wedding day. Even in my wildest dreams, I've never thought of things turning out this way.   
  
Oh, that pile of mashed potatoes looks like Willis. SLAM.   
  
Everyone around the table looked up, startled.   
  
T.K was gripping his fork very tightly. The three sharp points of his fork were pressed down on the mashed potatoes. He felt the stares, the glares, the looks that everyone else was giving him, but not once did he look up from his 'Willis look-alike mashed potatoes'. His eyes sharpened and then he pressed down his fork, harder.   
  
Around the table was silence. No one dared to make a sound.   
  
The silence went on for at least two, three minutes. In that amount of time, everyone kept their pose since T.K slammed his fork down. But after two, three minutes, Willis had had enough and stood up to leave.   
  
For the first time that night, T.K lifted his eyes away from his food.   
  
Willis didn't care whether T.K looked up or not, he just walked away from the dining room, out to the back. Although he felt T.K following him, he didn't stop. Willis finally found the spot that he liked and sat down.   
  
"T.K I know you're here, so don't try to hide," Willis said out.   
  
Soon enough, T.K stepped out of the shadows. He hesitated for a moment, but before long, he was sitting beside Willis.   
  
For a while, they only heard the crushing of the waves. It was good for both of them, it calmed them down.   
  
"T.K...Regardless of what's going to happen tomorrow...I...I want to say, I'm sorry..." Willis finally said.   
  
T.K turned to face him, surprised. Very surprised indeed.   
  
"You're...you're apologizing to me?" T.K asked.   
  
"I guess I am."  
  
T.K turned away from him and faced the oceans once again.   
  
Willis, knowing that T.K wasn't going to say anything else, decided to say a few more things.  
  
"I know...how you must have felt when you found out that Kari was engaged to me-"  
  
"How the hell would you have known how I felt?" T.K butted in, annoyed.   
  
"I had a brother T.K, an older brother who found out that his fiancée was cheating on him. My family heard the rumours about her being seen with someone either than my brother. But my brother refused to believe it. My mother and father and I had doubts though. We tried to reason with him, we told him to try to confront her, but he said no to all of the things we suggested. That was how blind love made him. And then one day, we caught her red handed. It was my cousin's birthday party in a restaurant, and my brother's fiancée was there with her date. Just as we walked in, they kissed. My brother, was furious yes, but he somehow couldn't explode. He walked in, saw her, and then walked out. I was standing beside him when we saw her, and I felt his body tensed up. I was angry with him for not confronting her, and so I took matters into my own hands. I marched up to her, and I let her have it. I screamed, I yelled, I insulted her and I made sure that she paid for hurting my brother."  
"As you can probably guess, everyone in the restaurant was looking at us. My cousins were staring at me, wide-eyed. But I didn't stop...no I was no where near of stopping. I yelled many things at her until she couldn't cry anymore, until she screamed at me and told me to stop. I wouldn't have stopped, I wouldn't have...but it was impossible for me to get my message across when I had a hand covering my mouth. It was my brother. With his sad eyes he told me to stop. Even after the thing that she had done, my brother still loved her; greatly. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the restaurant. My face was tilted her way though, in silence I told her just what she had done, what she had lost."  
  
"For days and days my brother didn't say anything. And ... and then on that fateful day, he was killed. I was right behind him when it happened, the crossing light turned green, but that stupid car didn't stop. It went through the red light, and it took my brother's soul. It didn't kill my brother straight away though; he was still alive when I ran to him. I kneeled beside him and I held his hand. He told me many things then. Even though it was a lot of things, I memorized it. Because it was the last things he ever said to me. He told me:  
  
'Willis, once you love someone, don't ever let her go, don't do anything to make her want to find someone else, keep her for yourself. If I could turn back time, I would un-do all of the fights that I had with Kyoko...Willis, you're my only brother, and the last thing I want to happen to you is to get hurt the way I did. I love you Willis, and I'm proud of how you've matured into a teenager. I'm happy...so happy, that I had a brother like you.'   
  
The paramedics came and took him away after that...they tried...they tried to help him, but it wasn't enough. Just as my parents were notified of the accident, my brother left me. On the side of where he was lying, there was a monitor that showed his heartbeat, and I heard the sound of the dreaded tone. Everything was like in slow motion, I turned to look at the monitor and saw the straight line. My heart stopped for a second, I turned to look at my brother who was just alive, seconds before. But he wasn't there anymore; I couldn't feel his presence anymore."   
  
"So by this...I know, how hurt you must have felt T.K, and though Kari wasn't really cheating on you, because she...well everyone didn't know that you were alive, I can't help but to feel like the guy that Kyoko was cheating with. And I have sworn to myself that I wouldn't be anything like him. You have every reason to blame me."  
  
T.K felt touched. Behind the mask of happiness, Willis was just struggling to not be the person who ruined everything for his brother. He tried with all his might to love just one girl so he wouldn't be able to cheat on her so she wouldn't have to go through the hurt and the pain that his had brother felt. He fought with T.K, forcing himself to believe that he wasn't the third person in T.K's and Kari's relationship. He was scared of losing the girl that he loved to somebody else, because...because he didn't want to end up like his brother.   
  
Right then and there, T.K didn't mind as much if Kari chose Willis instead of him. Willis deserved her. After the things that Willis had went through, all of the things he had tried to do to keep Kari, it was ok if he won at the end.   
  
"Heck Willis, I don't really blame you, you know...More like...I was blaming myself. If I would have just written her one letter, telling her I was alive, if I just tried to send her one, then maybe none of this would have happened. But...I was in denial, I couldn't accept the fact that I hurt Kari, that I made her wait all this time and get all mad at her because she was engaged to someone else. I never stop to think that it was my fault in the first place for not letting her know; I never even thought about the torture that she must have felt, torn between two guys that she loves. Later on, I realized...how much of a fool I've been, but I didn't want to believe that it was my fault, so I directed everything on you. I was envious of you, because you had the ring and I didn't. I couldn't understand why Kari, my Kari...would choose another guy over me, I just couldn't."  
  
"But somewhere deep within me I know that it was my fault, my fault that everything turned out this way. But hey, we can't do anything about the past. I can't turn back time, neither can anyone else. We just have to accept the things that had happened...and tomorrow...tomorrow...we'll...we'll just see what happens..."   
  
Again, it was silence between the two teenagers.   
  
The two of them were in love with the same girl. They had fought for her; they could have killed each other for the sake of her love. But on the path of winning her love, something unexpected happened; another girl came into Willis's heart. She had lurked in quietly. Silently, she made a special corner in Willis's heart. And now, there was no way of closing that corner.   
  
Just like Kari, now Willis was torn between two lovers. If everything could just be solved by Willis going with Melody and Kari going with T.K. But it wasn't that easy, no...no way near of being that easy. Everything was far too complicated.   
  
"May the best guy win..." T.K said over the noise of the waves.  
  
"Yeah...may the best guy win," Willis replied.   
  
***  
~*WEDDING DAY*~  
  
"Sora, sora!" Yolei yelled out as she ran through the corridor and to Sora.   
  
"What is it Yolei?" Sora asked.  
  
"You sure that none of the guys are in this wing?"   
  
"Yes, yes I'm positive...Yolei, get yourself ready, apply a little bit more make up on your face...your hair should be up a little bit more, go ask Mimi to do it for you," Sora ordered.  
  
"Oh ok, ok...question Sora, where's Kari?"   
  
"She's with me, she doesn't want anyone to see her, I don't want anyone to see her, Mimi and I are going to present to everyone the most beautiful bride they have ever seen! Now...now...hurry up and get yourself ready."   
  
Yolei nodded quickly and disappeared into one of the rooms.   
  
Sora sighed a relief, glad that Yolei wasn't going to annoy her that day anymore. Sora turned and made her way to Melody's room. She opened the door quietly, and stepped inside. On Melody's bed was Melody herself and Kari.   
  
"Sora," Kari said softly. "Is he out there?"  
  
"Yes Kari, he's been there since early this morning...standing on the same place, by the boat..."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"No time to dwell on that though, let's get yourselves ready!"   
  
"Kari...you and T.K...if..." Melody started to say.   
  
"No, don't say anything Melody, I've made my decision."   
  
***  
The guests were swarming in from the front door and into the hall. All of them were stunned with how the decorations turned out. Lines and lines of white chairs were placed in the sides of the hall, making an aisle in the middle. On the sides of the ceiling, were petals of red roses. In the centre of the ceiling, all of the white streamers met from the corners of the hall.   
  
Matt was looking up at the ceiling when he felt two hands grabbing his hips. He turned and a soft smile appeared on his lips.  
  
"About time you got here Miyuki..."   
  
Miyuki hugged Matt tighter and kissed his cheek.   
  
"Better than nothing..."  
  
Taichi came running to them, he raised his eyebrows when he saw Miyuki.   
  
"Did I miss something?" Tai asked.  
  
"You missed a lot of things buddy," Matt replied.  
  
Before any of them could say anything else, the melody of the piano filled the hall. There was no mistaking what that sound meant. The bride was going to enter, very soon.   
  
"Introductions later." Tai said and disappeared into the back.   
  
Yolei and Ken entered first. All of the guys were wearing a black tux; pretty similar to the one that groom was wearing. The bridesmaids were wearing a simple, aqua blue dress. It reached down just to their ankles.   
  
For this special occasion, Yolei used contact lenses instead of glasses. She looked different, but nonetheless, she was pretty.   
  
Next Mimi and Izzy entered the hall. And boy does Mimi look amazing! Izzy must have been so proud of her.   
  
After them, came Sora and Tai. For the first time after such a long time, they saw Tai had tears in his eyes.   
  
Now it was the big finale. The bride was going to enter with her father. Mr. Yagami held out his hand and quickly enough, a hand covered with white gloves linked with his.   
  
He smiled at her and she smiled back, but everyone else in the church seemed surprised. Willis seemed to have had lost the ability to breathe.   
  
"Thank you...for doing this..."  
  
***  
She's not coming, I know she isn't. The ceremony should have already started, and she's not here, she's not coming. I lost.   
  
T.K looked up to the mansion with his blurry eyes. He saw an outline of someone's body coming closer and closer. He wiped his tears away from his eyes and realized who it was.  
  
"T.K! T.K! T.K!!"   
  
T.K was speechless and didn't say anything. He couldn't do anything but to just stand there and wait. He was frozen, because he was looking at the most beautiful and perfect girl he had ever seen. Her happiness was back, her joyfulness had returned.   
  
She was running towards him, arms open wide. Every second she was coming closer and closer.   
  
T.K opened his arms to welcome her to him. As she was only a few centimetres away from him, she jumped into his embrace. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was laughing, laughing so very happily.   
  
T.K couldn't do anything apart from her holding her close, as close as he can.   
  
"Kari...I didn't think you would come..." T.K said.   
  
"I can't just let you go T.K, I will follow you wherever you go..."   
  
T.K let go of her and inserted his hand into his pocket and got out a ring. Kari looked at it, agape.   
  
"Will you...will you marry me Kari?"   
  
As he was asking her the biggest question that he had ever asked her, inside the hall, Melody was being asked the biggest question of her life too.   
  
"Do you Asuen Melody, take Williams Willis to be your lawfully wedded husband, through sickness and in health, through the bad and the good times, till death do you part?"   
  
Melody turned to look at Willis who had tears in his eyes. Tears of happiness.   
  
They didn't know it, but both Melody and Kari answered at the same time.   
  
"Yes I do..."  
  
"Yes I will marry you T.K!"   
  
T.K was overjoyed! As he brushed Kari's hair away from her eyes, Willis was lifting up Melody's veil. Both Willis and T.K leaned down at the same time, and they both kissed the girl that they loved at the same time.   
  
T.K turned around and jumped on to his boat. He turned, reached out his hand to Kari who took it with a broad smile on her face. T.K pulled her up on to the boat and was ready to go.   
  
Inside the hall, the ceremony was over. Unexpectedly, Melody grabbed Willis's hand and took him running with her. The guests were really surprised but followed after them.   
  
Melody took them to the back, to the beach. In her wedding dress Melody stood on the edge of the seashore. She could see the boat drifting further and further away from the shore.   
  
"Kari!!!!" She yelled as loud as she could.  
  
The two figures on the boat turned around to look. Once they saw who it was, they started to wave energetically.   
  
"Thank you Kari!!" Melody yelled again. "Thank you so much!!"   
  
Kari lifted her hand to her ears to tell her that she couldn't hear her.   
  
"Thank you...thank you so much ..." Melody said, but this time very softly.   
  
"TILL WE MEET AGAIN T.K, KARI!" Willis yelled out, much louder than Melody did.  
  
T.K and Kari heard, they gave a thumbs up to Willis.   
  
As the four friends were drifting further and further away from each other, memories of what had happened were playing in their mind.   
  
It was the biggest obstacle that the four of them had ever encountered. But they survived, without any hate or envy left in them.   
  
With their choices they had made a life for themselves. Now they can only just wait to see what the future have in store for them. But to each of them, the future doesn't scare them. Nothing could, nothing could when they had their lover beside them.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Oh..here's the end.. I'm so upset that this story is finished, well..it has to end sometime,ne?  
  
Well I want to thankyou all for your support! I love you all~ thankyou for reading this story for me!! Your reviews...they ar great..they gave me the strenght I neeed to write more.. ^^  
  
My very very special thank is to Jane!! Yup yup..JAYNIE! -KrN KyuTe- Thankyou so much Jane! For everything, you listen to all of my problems, to all of my happiness...and I just wanna say thanks..thankyou so much for being there ^^  
If only Jono reads this story...I would thank him too .. ^^ for keeping Jane happie ^^ well incase he does..thanks Jono!!  
  
Also my other special thanks go to Digimonrule (Andy) and Karensedai-kibou no tenshi ...   
  
Andy your reviews..and your emails.. Argh! I love them!! And Karensedai..your reviews...they help me to write better ^^  
  
I wanna thank all you other readers too ^^ Without you guys, I couldn't have go on.. I would have stopped... but thankyou so much for continuing to read this story.. ^^  
  
I think i'm gonna take a break in writing after this, one..coz i'm moving overseas...and one..I'm pretty exhausted from writing   
  
well Review!!  
  
Ja Ne!  
  
~CherryBlossom~ H N M 


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